- At the center of the issue is a letter the NSBA sent to President Joe Biden in September 2021 seeking assistance in dealing with threats and acts of violence against public school officials.
- The letter compared such threats to domestic terrorism and hate crimes, which generated outrage that led to an apology from the group over its choice of language.
- Still, Attorney General Merrick Garland sent a memo in October 2021 sharing plans to call on the FBI, U.S. attorneys, and other federal officials to meet and strategize about addressing threats to school officers around the country.
