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Virginia PTA Official Resigns After Mouthing Off About Critical Race Theory Opponents: ‘Let Them Die’

A Virginia parent-teacher association official was asked to resign after she said 'let them die' in response to people protesting critical race theory.

Virginia PTA leader who declared 'let them die' while railing against opponents of CRT ousted from job



An official with the Virginia Parent-Teacher Association who made headlines last week after seemingly wishing death upon opponents of critical race theory has resigned from her position.

What is the background?

While concerned parents gathered outside Luther Jackson Middle School in northern Virginia last week for a "Stop CRT Rally," Michelle Leete — the vice president of training at the Virginia PTA, vice president of communications for the Fairfax County PTA, and first vice president of the Fairfax County NAACP — spoke to counterprotesters who support CRT.

During her diatribe, Leete seemingly said of critical race theory opponents, "Let them die!"

So, let's meet and remain steadfast, steadfast, in speaking truth, tearing down double standards, and refuting double talk. 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-health care, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live-and-let-live people. Let them die. Don't let these uncomfortable people, don't let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.

“Let them die,” says @FairfaxNAACP leader Michelle Leete at protest before @fcpsnews board. Folks against critical… https://t.co/1VnOxXlqn7

— Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) 1626387557.0

What happened now?

The Virginia PTA announced Saturday that it had requested, and received, Leete's resignation.

"While not speaking in her role within Virginia PTA, we do not condone the choice of words used during a public event on Thursday, July 15, 2021," the statement said.

Statement on resignation of VP of Training https://t.co/EZWPPUK6OH

— Virginia PTA (@VirginiaPTA) 1626529420.0

In a separate statement, the Fairfax County Parents Association further condemned Leete, whom the associated noted still works with the Fairfax County NAACP.

"Virginia PTA requests and receives the resignation of Michelle Leete due to her comments wishing the death of parents who disagree with her," the Fairfax County Parents Association wrote on Twitter.

"The actions & rhetoric of Ms. Leete & all of the like-minded partisan supporters of the SB are deeply disappointing. It evinces a deep lack of concern for children & parents, particularly where the wellbeing of children & families clash with political considerations," the statement added.

What did Leete say?

Leete told the Washington Post that her comment — "let them die" — did not refer to opponents of CRT, but rather "the ideals that show a disregard and lack of support for our teachers who have a truly difficult job to do even without a pandemic."

"I will certainly admit, it was ineloquently stated and with a pause for the applause, the timing was off," Leete added.

'Let them die!': PTA, NAACP official demonizes parents against critical race theory



Crowds gathered outside the Luther Jackson Middle School in Virginia, where concerned parents were rallying against critical race theory being taught to students in Fairfax County Public Schools. During Thursday's "Stop CRT Rally," a PTA and NAACP official spewed rhetoric against the parents, including proclaiming, "Let them die!"

An event flyer for the "Stop CRT Rally" stated: "It's not about race or equity, it's about a Communist Radical Takeover of America!" At the rally, there were counterprotests, including a diatribe delivered by federal employee Michelle Leete, who is also the vice president of training at the Virginia Parent-Teacher Association, vice president of communications for the Fairfax County PTA, and first vice president of the Fairfax County NAACP.

Leete lambasted anti-critical race theory parents, even going so far as to say, "Let them die!"

So let's meet and remain steadfast, steadfast, in speaking truth, tearing down double standards, and refuting double talk. 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-health care, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live-and-let-live people. Let them die. Don't let these uncomfortable people, don't let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.

Asra Nomani, an education activist and vice president for strategy and investigations for the watchdog group Parents Defending Education, shared footage from the rally and counterprotest on Twitter.

"I listened, stunned, as Michelle Leete, an executive of the NAACP and the PTA, put a target on the backs of parents just because they have a different point of view," said Nomani, whose son recently graduated from Fairfax County Public Schools.

"What we heard tonight was hate speech, pure and simple. It was shocking that anyone would cheer and applaud a call to violence," Nomani told the Daily Wire, "Ironically, her hateful, intolerant words are a perfect illustration of the divisive ideology of critical race theory in action. In the name of tolerance, it preaches intolerance and is a betrayal of all values of humanity and decency."

Harry Jackson, who has three children in the Fairfax public school system and is president-elect of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Parent Teacher Student Association, told the Daily Wire, "I was in shock looking at the crowd, watching Ms. Leete pander to white liberals with her hateful rhetoric … Her call to violence against every kind of parent, including parents who oppose changes to admissions policies at schools like TJ, also reveal that she has a serious conflict of interest."

In May, Nomani delivered a stirring speech where she slammed the Fairfax County Public Schools board for pushing "anti-racism" propaganda.

"And then by the fall, every single one of you voted to remove the merit-based race-blind admissions test to TJ. And we pled with you, as Asians, as an immigrant (I came at the age of 4, I knew no English), and you didn't listen to us," Nomani scolded the school board.

Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, ranked the top math school in the country, instituted a "merit lottery," where race became a factor in admissions and academic qualifications were a lesser determinant.

The Daily Mail reported that admissions data for the class of 2025 at the prestigious school shows that black students rose from 1% in 2021 to 7%, Hispanics grew from 3% to 11%, white students increased from 18% to 22%, but Asian students dropped from 73% to 54% because of the new standards.