(WSIL) -- The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Board of Directors voted Thursday to terminate the Association’s membership in the National School Boards Association (NSBA), effective immediately.
The decision follows previous attempts by IASB to initiate changes to the governance structure, transparency, and financial oversight of the national association.
In a release the IASB said they suspended payment of dues to NSBA for 2021-2022 but continued to work to try to bring about needed changes.
The release said, "The Board recognizes the need for a healthy national organization that can provide training, federal advocacy, shared resources, and networking opportunities. IASB communicated to NSBA that "IASB no longer believes that NSBA can fill this important role." In September NSBA sent a letter to President Biden calling for federal assistance, without knowledge or support of its state association members."
Congressman Mike Bost said, "My Illinois GOP colleagues and I wrote to the Illinois Association of School Boards yesterday urging them to withdraw from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) after the NSBA asked the Department of Justice to treat concerned parents as “domestic terrorists.� Within hours, the Illinois association announced they will be terminating their membership in the NSBA immediately. This is a big win for Southern Illinois families!"
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller also issued a statement on the withdraw, "I believe that Illinois parents and families should play a central role in their children’s education, not the federal government. I was inspired to write this letter to the Illinois Association of School Boards by the NSBA’s letter to the Biden Administration earlier this year. Parents should NEVER be treated as domestic terrorists for showing up at school board meetings to advocate for their kids."
