Fox News political analyst Juan Williams claimed in a new essay that defending parents’ rights is meant to sow racial division while masquerading “as a defense of little children.”
What did Williams say?
Parents’ rights have become a prominent issue in recent months as parents nationwide dispute a number of issues impacting schools, including COVID-related restrictions, radical LGBT policies, and certain teachings on race.
But according to Williams, defending parents’ rights — which became a prominent issue in the Virginia gubernatorial race — is a racist dog whistle, or as the headline of his recent essay at The Hill claims, “code for white race politics.”
“It is a campaign to stop classroom discussion of Black Lives Matter protests or slavery because it could upset some children, especially white children who might feel guilt,” Williams wrote.
By making parents’ rights a prominent issues, Williams charged that “Trump-imitating Republican” have struck “political gold.”
Without evidence, Williams directly connected concerns over parents’ rights to defending Confederate monuments, the 2017 Charlottesville riots, the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and segregation.
“There is a long history behind the latest racist political appeals. It is not long ago that racist southern politicians rallied against integration with an argument for ‘states’ rights,’ a call to be free of federal laws seeking to end segregation,” Williams wrote. “Now the message is that white parents are being ignored when they complain that their children are uncomfortable learning about racism.”
Williams even expressed support for the letter the National School Boards Association sent President Joe Biden, demanding federal intervention over angry parents confronting school boards. The NSBA has since apologized for the letter.
Anything else?
Williams’ essay reads like Democrat Terry McAuliffe’s talking points.
In the closing weeks of the Virginia gubernatorial race, McAuliffe’s two biggest attacks on his Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin, focused on Youngkin’s position on parents’ rights and former President Donald Trump. Although Trump has not played a role in the election, McAuliffe has continually tried to tie Youngkin to Trump.
In the end, Williams claimed the fight to defend parents’ rights has nothing to do with parents’ rights, but everything to do with “stirring up racial division.”