Former President Donald Trump voiced strong support for parental rights and criticised school boards during his speech at the annual Moms for Liberty conference in Washington, DC.
Speaking to an audience of conservative parents, Trump underscored the urgency of the parental rights issue and the need for immediate action. He expressed frustration with what he described as school boards operating like “dictatorships.”
“You have these parents that end up in fistfights at school meetings, and the parents mean well. They end up getting arrested, put in prison,” Trump said during a fireside chat with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice.
His comments referenced the recent spate of confrontations at school board meetings nationwide, particularly those involving discussions on transgender rights and school curriculums.
Trump reiterated his unwavering support for parental rights, stating, “I’m for parental rights all the way. I don’t even understand the concept of not being [for parental rights].” He criticised current school boards, suggesting they have become overly authoritarian and dismissive of parental concerns.
“You’ve got to give the parents [rights]. The parents truly love the kids,” Trump argued. “Some of these people on the boards, I think they don’t like the kids very much … you have to give the rights back to the parents.”
The former president also aimed at the Harris-Biden administration, alleging it has been hostile towards parental rights in education. “This administration, it’s like the FBI goes after the people like it’s some kind of an insurrection,” Trump said, referring to the administration’s response to parental protests.
He alluded to the October 2021 controversy when the National School Boards Association requested federal intervention to address increasing harassment and threats against school officials, which led to an FBI investigation.
Justice echoed Trump’s sentiments, recalling how parents had been labelled as domestic terrorists for voicing their concerns at school board meetings. Trump responded with a promise: “Well, we’ll change that on the first day. I promise.”
In addition to his comments on parental rights, Trump indicated support for policies restricting transgender females from competing in women’s sports and limiting gender-changing medical procedures.
He characterised these positions as “common sense” and criticised current practices, suggesting Europe’s shift away from such procedures, which shows that the U.S. lags. “Europe has gone away from it,” Trump claimed. “Now we’re way behind them. They don’t do it anymore, and this isn’t very pleasant. But who could even believe this is happening?”
The conference, hosted by Moms for Liberty—a prominent parents’ rights group with 310 chapters and 130,000 members across 48 states—provided a platform for Trump to address these issues and solidify his stance on parental rights and educational policies.
