The National School Boards Association has become a target for criticism in recent days amid nationwide clashes over face masks and the alleged teaching of critical race theory in local schools.

Some state school board associations and at least one NSBA board member have spoken out against the NSBA's Sept. 29 letter to President Joe Biden asking federal law enforcement to intervene in threats against local school board members. The letter was signed by NSBA's board president, Viola Garcia, and interim CEO Chip Slaven. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Oct. 4 ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation to meet with state and local leaders within 30 days "to facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats."

One of the most vocal groups denouncing NSBA's appeal for federal intervention has been the Florida School Boards Association. In a letter to Garcia and Slaven, FSBA's executive director Andrea Messina said NSBA sent the letter to the White House "without consultation of our association or your own board of directors."

Messina's letter to NSBA also called for a "review of NSBA leadership and its processes" and urged a "public acknowledgement of the federal overreach expressed in your letter."

NSBA board member Beverly Slough, who is also on a local school board in Florida, co-authored FSBA's letter to NSBA, according to Jacksonville, Fla., news station News4Jax. Slough told the news station the NSBA board was not informed about the letter's contents before it was sent to Biden.

"We have had people speak with a lot of passion at our own board meetings, but not to the extent that we need federal law enforcement to come help us maintain order," Slough told the TV station. "We're doing quite well with local control, thank you very much."

Slough said she was not speaking for the entire NSBA board, according to News4Jax. Slough told the TV station that the NSBA board is holding meetings next week and will likely discuss the issue.

NSBA had not responded as of Friday morning to CEO Update's request for comment on the controversy about the letter.

Parents Defending Education, a group that says it is working to "reclaim our schools from activists imposing harmful agendas" emailed 47 state school board associations Oct. 11 to ask whether they agree with NSBA's letter to Biden and whether school board threats can be handled by local law enforcement. As of Oct. 14, 16 state associations had replied. Most said they were not consulted on NSBA's letter and that they disagreed with it. Some state associations said there had been no threats in their states.

NSBA's letter to Biden said, "America's public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat" stemming from debates around mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory, which NSBA says is not being taught in K-12 schools.

"These threats and acts of violence are affecting our nation's democracy at the very foundational levels, causing school board members—many who are not paid—to resign immediately and/or discontinue their service after their respective terms," the letter stated.

Conservative lawmakers in a number of states have made critical race theory a heated topic, claiming that it teaches children to think white people are inherently racist.

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