People outside Sarasota Sch Bd (FL) member Shirley Brown's house tonight

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski
People outside Sarasota Sch Bd member Shirley Brown’s house tonight: “We see you in there, Shirley. We want you to come out for a redress of grievances. This is the line we will die on. Shirley, come out. We have some questions and we have demands that need to be met.”


6:12 PM · Oct 4, 2021

[msongs]

1. unlawful assembly jaywalking nt

[Nevilledog]

3. Good luck getting any enforcement in Florida

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski
·
Oct 4, 2021
Replying to @RonFilipkowski
The Department of Justice must intervene to protect besieged school board members in this country. This is organized intimidation and threats to public officials. That is a crime in Florida, but don’t count on people like Desantis to protect them.
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Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski
Here is the criminal statute that could help protect school board members from these increased threats. But, law enforcement in FL seem completely disinterested in enforcing it. Wonder why?
Image

[TheProle]

2. Context

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2021/09/15/controversy-surrounding-photo-sarasota-county-school-board-member/

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - The mask mandate has been a red hot issue in Sarasota County since the start of school in August. Now, two competing pictures are fanning the flames.

The first photo in question is of Sarasota County School Board Member Shirley Brown at a Riverview High football game last weekend, without a mask on.

Brown was one of the board members who voted in favor of a mask mandate for Sarasota County public schools last month. This mandate requires all students and adults in Sarasota public schools wear a mask at indoor and outdoor school events.

Some claim the photo is proof of hypocritical behavior. A group called the Sarasota County School District Transparency Project posted the picture on its Facebook page and said, “This woman’s absolute lack of self-awareness knows no bounds. Shirley Brown has made a complete mockery of the district.”

[Liberal In Texas]

4. This whole making vaccines and masks political shows just how much the power of

propaganda has deluded enough people to cause a threat to our very way of life; fragmenting our society and sinking us into third world status.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. Garland's new policy is needed

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. The Justice Department scrambles to address school board threats

The Justice Department is taking threats against school boards seriously.

Link to tweet

In recent months, there have been unsettling intimidation campaigns, largely from the far-right, targeting election officials and public health officials. But let's not forget about education officials, who are dealing with the same scourge.

As my MSNBC colleague Ja'han Jones explained last week, the National School Boards Association requested federal law enforcement assistance to address the escalating instances of harassment and acts of intimidation local officials are having to deal with.

As The Associated Press reported this morning, the Justice Department appears to be taking the matter seriously.

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday directed federal authorities to hold strategy sessions in the next 30 days with law enforcement to address the increasing threats targeting school board members, teachers and other employees in the nation's public schools. In a memorandum, Garland said there has been "a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation's public schools."

The AP's report added that the attorney general intends to direct the FBI to work with U.S. attorneys and federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities to address the threats.

"While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views," Garland said.