DSUSD school board meeting. (Photo: Kenny Snell)
California Set To Criminalize Passionate Parents At School Board Meetings
Don’t even think about going to a school board meeting to question narrative or policies
By Kenny Snell, August 1, 2023 3:16 pm
The California Legislature is moving a bill through the legislative process that could very well criminalize passionate parents that speak up a school board meetings. Indeed, the law could apply to any passionate community partner who dares to voice a contrary opinion to the powers that be. The bill is “SB 596 School Employees: Protection,” and was last seen in the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee on July 11. It passed with a 6-0 vote.
The Bill
SB 596 was introduced by State Senator Portantino (D-San Fernando Valley) back in February 2023. The bill amends an existing law which makes it a misdemeanor for any “person” to threaten or harass a school employee during the “course of [their] duties“. The offense is punishable by a $500-$1,000 fine and up to a year in jail.
Sounds reasonable. Evidently Portantino didn’t think so, or he perhaps he just wanted to one-up the Biden administration’s DoJ attacks on parents. In any case, Portantino, who has a background in education and receives 20% of his campaign contributions from the labor sector (including teacher unions), saw fit to intimidate the public by suggesting amendments to the California Code.
Criminalizing Passionate Parents
SB 596 would expand the code to include causing “substantial disorder” at any meeting of school boards, charter school boards, county boards of education, and even the State Board of Education itself. The bill also expands the definition of “school employee” to any official or employees of those boards, and their families (Text in blue are changes).
The bill does not provide a definition for “substantial disorder.” However, the bill does define “harassment,” or rather redefines it. Gone is the definition from the penal code which describes harassment as “following,” “stalking,” or making harassing phone calls or correspondence to an individual. In it is “a pattern of conduct composed of two or more acts…evidencing a continuity of purpose.”
What does that even mean? If a parent questions a principal or a teacher more than once, which would result in hurt feelings, does that evidence a continuity of purpose?
A similar change was made for the definition of harassment. Gone is the “credible threat of violence… annoys, or harasses,” in is “torments, or terrorizes.”
In California-speak, that means school boards get to decide what is substantial and what is not; what is harassment and what is not. In Totalitarian-speak that means don’t dare even think about going to a school board meeting and question their narrative or policies. Totalitarians prefer community partners that are subdued, compliant, and simply to terrified to question their betters. Totalitarians criminalize passionate passionate parents and community partners that upset the status quo.
Democrats should be careful, because nobody will be more vitriolic at school board meetings than the leftist activists when their CRT and DEI gets taken away.
WATCH: NTD reports:
1 year in jail for annoying a school board member? Critics are fuming over a new bill #SB596 in California they say is an attempt to silence parents. NTD spoke with California attorney Nicole Pearson @FLTJllp . @Portantino @NTDNews pic.twitter.com/Z8HqVXtzgg
— Daniel Monaghan (@DanMonaghanNTD) August 1, 2023
This article is also at Dessert Truth.
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“Safe and inclusive” is just an imposter term for intolerant and totalitarian — no doubt about it. These petty dictators can’t prate about “democracy” and yet mute dissent at the same time. Well, they can, but then they would just prove how powerfully insane they all are.
Mr. Snell commented “Democrats should be careful, because nobody will be more vitriolic at school board meetings than the leftist activists when their CRT and DEI gets taken away.” No doubt if their paid thugs like BLM/Antifa show up to school board meetings and cause violent disruptions, they’ll be allowed to get away with it and won’t be prosecuted? Democrats are a lawless criminal gang? Public schools in many cases are just Marxist indoctrination centers that should be avoided by parents who are concerned about educating their kids?
Can you believe the nerve of these people?
How DARE these people even THINK about trying to muzzle parents and others who want to speak up to their school boards about the INSANITY that is being proposed and/or is already apparently in full swing in our public schools right now. Obviously this is a NO.
Looks like SB 596 is one of those bills that is “poised for passage” to slip through unnoticed (they hope) in August when legislators return from recess in mid-August and the public (they hope) has enough going on without having to attend to their ridiculous antics.
Still has to pass Assembly.
Contact your Asm ASAP and insist they Vote NO on SB 596
https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
These laws and actions will not change until parents start removing their kids from public school. So what if a parent complains? They don’t care and it will matter. They will not change the curriculum. Do whatever you have to do, make whatever sacrifice necessary. Get your kids out of public schools.
Government is representative of the electorate that elects them to office, In the case of CA, democrat controlled by Unions and Corporate interest.. The old adage “Be careful what you wish for”!
I present the following evidence that will show that this bill (if signed into law) is unconstitutional. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9GcDK0zBkU&pp=ygUYc2ltb24gY2FtcGJlbGwgcGVubnNidXJ5
the end of parents rights are coming to an end the worst will fallow you can’t even imagine.
I bet they have a law like this China, Russia and North Korea.
Leave it to the Commucrats of Kalifornia.
Ever seen those videos of crazy parents screaming over the school board, to the point where nothing can get done because the noise and commotion won’t stop? Doesn’t matter what side you’re on, that needs to be stopped so the school boards can function.
“Logic and Reason” – Would you mind very much sharing what exactly your stake is in parents and other concerned citizens being muzzled (and possibly worse) against speaking up about the VERY BAD THINGS that are happening in public schools right about now? Thanks