Members of the Facebook group “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County,” consisting of mostly teachers and parents, compiled a list of parents and groups who oppose the teaching of critical race theory in public schools, even suggesting the use of hackers to attack those who break from the progressive line.
According to the Daily Wire, the 624-member "anti-racist" group, which includes parents as well as school employees and elected officials, sought to silence other parents who disagreed with their race-focused agenda through “infiltration” of their groups and the use of “hackers” to take down websites - believing they should “expose these people publicly” for the greater good. Some of the members even used pseudonyms to unsuccessfully hide their identities as they attacked parents.
The Facebook group is now under review by the county’s sheriff’s criminal investigations division.
Over the past few years, Loudoun County, the wealthiest county in America, has been pushing an "anti-racism" curriculum modeled after common progressive tropes, even requiring all school staff to attend “Equity in the Center“ training that perpetuated the idea of racial injustice. As of today, 93 teachers in the Loudoun school district currently receive a $3,820 bonus each year acting as “equity leads."
Additionally, in January 2020 the school board’s Equity Committee voted to “Offer/Provide Equity in the Center - like training to parents.”
Beth Barts, a member of the group who was elected to the school board in 2019, was particularly aggressive in her support for the “equity” agenda. The Daily Wire wrote:
Barts has a reputation for lashing out at parents who either questioned what she calls the “equity” agenda or advocated for the reopening of schools. For her pattern of social media conduct, Barts’ colleagues censured her in a closed meeting on March 4, saying Barts failed to “welcome and encourage active cooperation of Loudoun County residents,” the Loudoun Times reported. On March 9, the board temporarily removed her from all committee assignments.
In response, Barts requested support from members of the “anti-racist” Facebook group who believed the school board was not aggressive enough in pushing for the teachings of critical race theory.
“I wanted to share that I’m very concerned that the [anti-] [Critical Race Theory] movement for lack of better word is gaining support, call out statements and actions that undermine our stated plan to end systemic racism,” she wrote in the group on March 12.
Jen Durham, a local mother, responded to Barts post with a string of disturbing proposals, including intentionally targeting parents who disagree with the curriculum being taught to their kids. She wrote:
This is a call for volunteers to combat the anti-CRT activities of the P.A.C.T. folks, the stoplcpscrt website, and the like. Looking for folks who are interested in volunteering to organize, lead, execute, and donate regarding the following points:
- Gather information (community mailing lists, list of folks who are in charge of the anti-CRT movement, lists of local lawmakers/folks in charge)
Infiltrate (create fake online profiles and join these groups to collect and communicate information, hackers who can either shut down their websites or redirect them to pro-CRT/anti-racist informational webpages)
Spread information (expose these people publicly, create online petitions, create counter-mailings)
Find a way to gather donations for these efforts. Volunteering is great, but these activities can be costly and not everyone has extra funds readily available
Anyone who is interested in this, please feel free to comment here or PM me directly and indicate what you can help with. Then we can hold a kickoff call and start on action items.
“I’m listing them this way: -First name -Last name -Alias(es) -Location,” Durham continued.
“I’m losing any hope that remaining civil towards these people changes anything,” she added. “Avoiding these people isn’t enough to stop the spread of their evil rhetoric.”
Another member reinforced Durham’s idea, writing, “Regarding the anti-CRT movement, we’d like to compile a document of all known actors and supporters. Please comment below with legal names of these individuals, area of residence and or school board Rep known, known accounts on social media, and any other info that you feel is relevant.”
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According to The Daily Wire, even the NAACP got involved, warning school officials of one teacher who was married to a man who had previously criticized critical race theory.“(We) are hopeful she does not share the same ideologies as her husband. Please confirm receipt of this message,” the NAACP said, according to an email obtained by The Daily Wire.
In October, former Department of Justice official in the Trump administration Ian Prior, wrote an op-ed in The Federalist opposing the school districts CRT rhetoric believing it “radicalized privileged white women in Virginia. It has turned them into a threat to the people in their own community. If it happened to them, what is it like for small children?”
Prior believes Durham’s calls for hackers is worthy of a felony under a Virginia law.
“Any person who commands, entreats, or otherwise attempts to persuade another person to commit a felony other than murder, shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony,” the law reads.
David Gordon, director of a Republican activist group called the Virginia Project, sent screenshots of the “anti-racist” Facebook group’s posts to the Loudoun County Sheriff accusing the group of criminal activity including targeting and harassment and a violation of dissenters' First Amendment Rights. The department now says they're looking into those allegations.
“The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the situation and the information has been forwarded to our criminal investigations division to review the matter,” a spokesman for the sheriff told The Daily Wire.