Merrick Garland orders FBI to monitor anti-maskers' threats against school staff around the country

On Monday, in a new letter reported by the Huffington Post's Ryan J. Reilly, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced new actions from the Justice Department and the FBI to protect educators around the country from what he described as a "disturbing spike in threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff" at public schools.

"Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation's core values," wrote Garland. "Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety."

Garland will be directing the FBI, in conjunction with U.S. attorneys, to "open up lines of communication" with schools to make it easier to report threats.

This action comes as the National School Boards Association issued an urgent plea to the DOJ to assist against threats, which have been driven in part by anger over mask mandates and other COVID-19 safety measures. Many recent town halls have been inundated by angry mobs, sometimes with Republican congressmen egging them on.

Read the letter below: