A Virginia Parent Teacher Association leader publicly disparaged parents who disagree with far-left curricula. However, her unhinged rant soon caught up to her in a most satisfying way.
Michelle Leete has quite the repertoire. Not only is she the First Vice President of the Fairfax County NAACP and a federal employee, but she has also served as the Vice President of Training at the Virginia state PTA and Vice President of Communications for the Fairfax County PTA, The Daily Wire reports.
When she addressed a crowd protesting the implementation of Critical Race Theory in local schools, she brought power and influence with her. Disturbingly, what was once discreetly creeping around the classroom is now brazenly proclaimed on the campus lawn.
While parents demonstrated against CRT, counter-protesters surrounded Leete to hear her speech. What ensued was a borderline incoherent rant that quickly turned into a call for violence.
“So let’s meet and remain steadfast in speaking truth, tearing down double standards, and refuting double talk,” Leete said. “Let’s not allow any double downing on lies. Let’s prepare our children for a world they deserve. Let’s deny this off-key band of people that are anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-equity, anti-history, anti-racial reckoning, anti-opportunities, anti-help people, anti-diversity, anti-platform, anti-science, anti-change agent, anti-social justice, anti-healthcare, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-healthcare, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live-and-let live people. Let them die. (everyone cheers) Don’t let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.”
Along with a myriad of made-up and meaningless adjectives, Leete told the crowd to “let them die.” Unfortunately for her, it was this phrase in particular that caught the attention of the PTA.
Just days after her speech went viral, Leete was forced to resign from her position at the Virginia PTA for wishing death upon parents. Harry Jackson, who is a parent and the first African-American to be elected PTA president for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, adamantly opposes CRT and was deeply disturbed by Leete’s comments. He hopes the other organizations that employ her will follow suit.
“Why would you ever wish death on someone who you disagree with,” he told CNN. “It was a responsible gesture by the Virgina PTA. Now I hope the Fairfax NAACP and PTA do the same.”
Unsurprisingly, the NAACP released a statement in support of Leete and her stance. The group professed its dedication to “equity” and “social justice,” both of which are anathema to equality and justice.
The NAACP said it “does not condone or support violence of any kind, whether we agree with an individual’s ideas or not. We believe in peaceful demonstrations and activism in order to achieve social justice and equity. But we will always stand in opposition to anti-diversity and anti-equity rhetoric, and any ideas or policies that further an inequitable agenda.”
As many activists who are called out for spewing unsavory threats often do, Leete claimed that her words were taken out of context. She told The Washington Post that the phrase “let them die” was referring to “the ideals that show a disregard and lack of support for our teachers”.
In an email, Leete wrote, “I will certainly admit, it was ineloquently stated and with a pause for the applause, the timing was off.”
Despite Leete’s attempt to cover herself, her own grammar betrays her. The phrase “let them die” refers back to the subject of the previous sentence, which is, in her own words, the “off-key band of people” and not any ideals. Even the sentence following the threat identifies “these uncomfortable people” as the focus.
Leete uses an elementary and effective tactic when dealing with her intellectual opponents. Instead of arguing against her opponents’ actual position, she launches into an ad hominem attack, insulting and dehumanizing them.
People who are like Leete don’t want to understand or compromise. They want to prevent parents from raising their children as they see fit. They want to indoctrinate students to fit their political agenda, and anyone who opposes their mission should be left to die.
