Moms for Liberty, a "parental rights" group that has sought to take over school boards in multiple states, is looking to expand those efforts across the country and to other education posts in 2024 and beyond. The effort is setting up a clash with teachers unions and others on the left who view the group as a toxic presence in public schools.
Moms for Liberty started with three Florida moms fighting COVID-19 restrictions in 2021. It has quickly ascended as a national player in Republican politics, helped along the way by the board's political training and close relationships with high-profile GOP groups and lawmakers. The group's support for school choice and the "fundamental rights of parents" to direct their children's education has drawn allies such as Florida Gov.
Focusing on state-level candidates could give Moms for Liberty an opportunity to assert its influence on some of the positions that have more control in determining curriculum, said Jon Valant, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has studied education policy. "The wealth of knowledge they have and the network of support and just the advocacy tips that we’re learning from the speakers today," he said. "They have good advice to give. So you kind of learn a lot about what you can improve in your messaging."
Beyond unions, Moms for Liberty is likely to face opposition from grassroots groups and voters who "just don't agree with their vision of what public education should be," Valant said.