Prince William School Board appoints local Moms for Liberty leaders to key advisory committees

The Prince William County School Board recently appointed three leaders of the local Moms for Liberty chapter to key school division advisory committees at the request of school board member Erica Tredinnick.

At the board’s March 20 meeting, Tredinnick nominated Merianne Jensen, chair of the Prince William County Moms for Liberty chapter, to the Gifted Education Advisory Committee; Jen Donnelly to the Safe Schools Advisory Committee; and Chris Funderburg to the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Equity. Donnelly is vice chair of the local Moms for Liberty chapter, while Funderburg is a founding member.

Moms for Liberty is a national organization comprised of local chapters of typically conservative parents. The organization was first formed in Florida in 2021 to challenge mask rules and other pandemic-related restrictions. It has since spread to dozens of states with the stated goal of supporting “parental rights” in public education and electing like-minded candidates to public office. The group has sometimes spurred controversy, including asking to remove school library books they find offensive.

The board initially approved all three appointments unanimously during part of the agenda where many items are considered at once. But the vote created some tense moments for the school board.

At the end of the meeting, in an unusual move, board member Loree Williams asked to rescind her “yes” vote. Williams said there were several items the board approved that she did not agree with.

Board Chair Babur Lateef then quickly shut down questions about Williams’ no vote after Tredinnick pressed her to explain.

In an interview following the meeting, Williams would not comment specifically on the three appointments. Lateef voted in favor of the appointments and declined a request by the Prince William Times to explain his vote.

“Everyone has a right to their own perspective and opinions and thoughts and beliefs, which I respect,” Williams said. “The issue is not specific to these appointments but to any appointment to advisory committees that are not necessarily in alignment with the direction this whole division is going.”

Tredinnick chose Funderburg — a father of five children who attend or have graduated from Prince William County schools  — for the equity council despite his being an outspoken critic of some school equity efforts.

For example, during public comment time at a school board meeting in May 2022 Funderburg described allowing transgender students expressing their gender identity at school as "deviant behavior."

During a speech at a March 2023 Moms for Liberty meeting attended by the Prince William Times, he spoke against culturally responsive teaching, social and emotional instruction and restorative justice practices in schools.

“It’s designed to indoctrinate your children as Marxist activists,” he told the crowd.

During school board meetings, Funderburg has spoken several times during public comment time to advocate for removing books he deemed objectionable from school libraries and has sometimes read excerpts of the books aloud.

During the March 2023 Moms for Liberty meeting, Funderburg led a “book review workshop” during which he explained how to challenge library books. Funderburg did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

According to its bylaws, the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Equity is charged with presenting the superintendent “prioritized recommendations for practices that will embed equity into all aspects of the school division ... to eliminate prejudice and unconscious bias, close gaps, increase student achievement, provide welcoming and inviting learning environments and promote the health and well-being of all students.”

The school division has 10 advisory councils. They are comprised of parents and community members who are appointed by school board members, as well as teachers, school division administrators and other staff. They usually meet monthly to discuss policy-related issues, bring ideas and make recommendations to the superintendent.

Tredinnick, a Republican who was elected in November to represent western Prince William’s Brentsville District, has so far appointed six people to different committees.

“All six of my appointments are parents, and all of them have shown a dedication and commitment to improving the lives and education of our kids,” Tredinnick said in an email to the Prince William Times.

While Tredinnick has attended Moms for Liberty meetings in the past, she said she is not a member.

“As a candidate dedicated to representing all parents, I did attend some of their meetings last year, as I did other community/education focused meetings, to hear from residents on how to improve our schools,” she wrote. “I do believe Moms for Liberty has many excellent, involved and engaged parents who regularly attend school board meetings, before and after the creation of this chapter.”

Tredinnick said her appointments of Funderburg, Jensen and Donnelly have “nothing to do with their affiliation with any groups.”

“I chose them because they are active, engaged parents who have consistently fought for our children and have shown a passion to strengthen our schools in that subject matter,” she said.

Jensen rose to prominence in conservative circles when she gave an impassioned anti-mask speech before the Prince William County School Board in February 2022 that subsequently went viral. Jensen went on to be a guest on Fox News. Jensen was elected vice chair of the Prince William County Republican Committee earlier this week.

Jensen is active on X (formerly Twitter) where in the past month she called the press “liars with megaphones,” people who wear masks “mentally ill,” and urged parents to speak at school board meetings “to slow the march of crazy in our schools.”

“My appointment to the (Gifted Education Advisory) committee is irrelevant to my membership in Moms for Liberty,” Jensen wrote in an email to the Prince William Times. “I am passionate about nurturing the potential of every student. … I hope to contribute to the development of effective strategies that empower gifted learners to reach their full potential and make meaningful contributions to society.”

Jensen said she has three children in the division’s gifted program.

Donnelly, who was appointed to the Safe Schools Advisory Council, has a child in middle school. She said she has been an advocate for school safety for years.

“Every child and teacher should have the opportunity to learn and teach in a space where they feel free from harm,” she wrote in an email. “I will be doing my best to provide positive input into the committee.”

Reach Cher Muzyk at cmuzyk@fauquier.com