Fairfax NAACP Decries 'False Narrative' In PTA Official's Ouster

FAIRFAX, VA — Fairfax County NAACP decried the "false narrative" in the media concerning remarks made by Michelle Leete that led her to resignation over the weekend as vice president of training for the Virginia PTA, according go an NAACP statement.

Leete, who is the Fairfax NAACP's 1st vice president, stepped down Saturday amid a storm of criticism from critical race theory (CRT) opponents over remarks she made at a rally Thursday night outside the Fairfax County school board meeting. She spoke as part of a group supporting transgender rights and another group rallying in opposition to critical race theory.

During her speech, Leete said: “Let’s deny this off-key band of people that are anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-equity, anti-history... ," which she followed with a string of descriptors. She then concluded with the phrase, "Let them die."

It was this last phrase that some interpreted as a call for violence against anti-CRT backers.

Asra Nomani, who is one of the leaders of the anti-CRT group Parents Defending Education, posted a video of Leete's remarks on Twitter, which led to calls for her resignation in the media as well as from anti-CRT supporters.

"I heard this tonight as it was spoken and I was in shock. Absolutely unacceptable, we must be a better example for young people and all people," Brenton Hammond said, responding to the tweet. Hammond is the Republican candidate looking to unseat Democrat Mark Sickles this November in the House of Delegates race for the 43rd District seat.

Virginia PTA released a statement on Saturday saying that it had asked 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 group said in a statement posted on its Twitter account. "As the commonwealth's largest nonpartisan, volunteer child advocacy association, Virginia PTA upholds values of respect, collaboration, and accountability."

The Fairfax County NAACP said in a statement released Sunday that it was standing firmly behind Leete.

"Fairfax County NAACP does not condone or support violence of any kind, whether we agree with an individual's ideas or not," the group said, in its statement. "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."

The group also said the media was creating a false narrative around Leete's remarks, which reflected its opposition to anti-diversity and anti-equity rhetoric.

"That is what the 1st Vice President spoke about on Thursday: to prepare our children for a better world by denying space to rhetoric, ideas or narratives that threaten the world we want to leave our next generation," the group said. "This is abundantly clear when you consider the entirety of her speech, instead of simply the last seconds of it."

The Associated Press contributed to the writing of this story.

“Let them die,” says @FairfaxNAACP leader Michelle Leete at protest before @fcpsnews board. Folks against critical race theory are here, with protestors including Leete opposing them. It’ll tonight. Watch at https://t.co/KuScNenTVQ pic.twitter.com/Csb5faEYKG
— Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) July 15, 2021

Statement on resignation of VP of Training pic.twitter.com/EZWPPUK6OH
— Virginia PTA (@VirginiaPTA) July 17, 2021