CINCINNATI — Two women elected to Hamilton County school boards were endorsed by a hate group.
Both Nancy Slattery and Lisa Ibold were backed by the Moms for Liberty, according to a report from WXVU. The group was recognized in 2022 by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an "anti-government organization" and placed on their "hate map."
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is a legal advocacy group known for keeping track of hate and extremist groups.
Slattery was elected to the Northwest Local School District board and Ibold was elected to the Oak Hills Local Schools board.
The two were among eight total school board candidates backed by Moms for Liberty, according to WXVU.
Candidates in Madeira City Schools, Cincinnati Public Schools, Loveland City School District and Forest Hills School District were also backed by the group but didn't receive enough votes.
Oak Hills Local School District told WCPO 9 that the election of school board members is "the right, role and responsibility of the community."
"Oak Hills Local Schools has had a long history of school board members who put the needs of students first and who work with fairness, goodwill and close collaboration with each other, with district staff and with the community," the school district said. "We believe that will continue to be the expectation of the school board, the community and the district moving forward."
Northwest Local School District also issued a statement to WCPO 9.
"The Board of Education is a public entity that is elected by the community-at-large," the district said. "NWLSD will continue to work collaboratively with the elected Board of Education to fulfill our Mission of creating a responsive learning community where all students are valued, challenged and guided along a pathway to success."
Ibold told WCPO 9 that she is grateful to the Oak Hills community for their support.
"I look forward to serving our students, families, staff, and the Oak Hills community," Ibold said. "It is an honor to service this great school district and community, and my focus will be to work as a contributing team member to continue to provide opportunities to our students and move the district forward."
WXVU reported that prior to the endorsements Moms for Liberty distributed 6,000 pocket U.S. Constitutions to eighth graders in the Cincinnati area.
According to the group's website, Moms for Liberty is a nonprofit organization "dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government."
The group, which says it has 299 chapters in 46 states with 120,000 members, was founded in 2021 by Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice, two former school board members from Florida.
The SPLC said Moms for Liberty is "a far-right organization" that "opposes LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive school curriculum, and has advocated books bans."
Moms for Liberty grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic when parents opposed health regulations, such as mask mandates, according to the SPLC.
WXVU reported the right-winged Heritage Foundation filed a lawsuit in September 2023 on behalf of Moms for Liberty against the Biden administration, claiming government agencies conspired with the SPLC prior to its designation as a hate group.
WCPO 9 has reached out to Slattery for comment. We have not heard back.
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