Parents in one Washington school district have slammed the decision to appoint a woke activist with a criminal record to the board after she was filmed calling police officers 'pigs' during a rally.
Talauna Reed, 47, was appointed to the board on October 27 despite her criminal history, which includes domestic violence, embezzlement, theft, unlawful issuance of bank checks, driving with a suspended license, and assault.
Last week, video emerged of Reed calling police 'pigs' and saying 'f*** the police' during a rally in 2021.
A mother with children in the Olympia School District told 'FOX and Friends' on Tuesday that Reed's appointment was 'ideologically driven'.
'It's made a laughingstock of our school board, and it's just really unfortunate for our community, for our students that deserve better representation,' Alesha Perkins told the network.
'I think the larger issue here, Ms. Reed aside, is that we clearly have a school board that was bound and determined to place her in this position, proving themselves incapable of making reasonable decisions,' Perkins said.
Talauna Reed, 47, was appointed to the board on October 27 despite her criminal history, which includes domestic violence, embezzlement, theft, unlawful issuance of bank checks, driving with a suspended license, and assault
Reed's speech from a protest held last year has sparked outrage in the Olympia, Washington community for comments calling police officers 'pigs'
Alesha Perkins, mother with children in the Olympia School District told 'FOX and Friends ' on Tuesday that Reed's appointment was 'ideologically driven'. 'It's made a laughingstock of our school board, and it's just really unfortunate for our community, for our students that deserve better representation'
Video unearthed of Reed last week also showed the woman telling a crowd of people who had gathered for a demonstration to 'tear everything up in this f**king city,' referring to the state's capital city of Olympia.
Her engagement in local activism was prompted when in 2018 her aunt Yvonne McDonald was found dead on an Olympia street. Reed has alleged that McDonald was murdered and the city covered up the crime.
No arrests have been made in the case. Police said she died of blunt force trauma to her abdomen, with complications related to alcohol.
She ran for the city council last year but was unsuccessful, securing around 40 percent of the vote.
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ShareOn Tuesday morning, Perkins spoke to Fox & Friends after she gave a rousing speech at the school board meeting where Reed was appointed.
Talauna Reed's criminal record
2019: Driving with a suspended license (charge dismissed)
2017: Property crime -- theft (pleaded guilty)
2016: Driving with a suspended license (fined $150)
2016: Criminal charge, non-traffic (unspecified plea and fine)
2003: Domestic violence, assault (sentenced to two years probation)
<!- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/gb/news/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 - ->AdvertisementReed's criminal background is far more recent than what would make some parents comfortable.
The newly-appointed board member has criminal charges connected to domestic violence, embezzlement, theft, unlawful issuance of bank checks, driving with a suspended license, and assault. Reed has pleaded both guilty and not-guilty to various charges she has faced over the years.
'[Reed is] someone who has a clear disregard for law and order and common sense.' one woman wrote in an October 27 Facebook post.
While concerned by the appointment of Reed to the position, Perkins said she is more concerned by the agenda that the board is 'clearly' pushing on children.
The mom also said that she has spoken with staff, employees, community members, and parents who all said that they were not asked for input on the decision to appoint Reed.
She also claimed that the position is usually voted on, but that did not happen in this case since Reed was filling a spot left by a former board director.
Perkins said that the lack of input taken from the public and the district's own employees prove that the board was 'ideologically driven' and set on putting her in the position.
'They were determined, at all costs, to have Ms. Reed appointed,' Perkins said.
The mom didn't specify what type of agenda the school board is allegedly pushing on students, however. Although, many parents have recently gotten involved in their local school district's policies and plans amid a discussion of Critical Race Theory.
The board has since doubled down on their appointment of Reed, releasing the following statement in response to the backlash: 'During the interview process, she showed herself to be a committed and thoughtful advocate for the students of our school district.'
'We look forward to working with her to address pressing equity and inclusion issues in our school district,' the board continued.
Talauna Reed, featured in the center of the photo wearing the striped shirt, stands with fellow Olympia School Board members
Perkins' statement on 'FOX and Friends' aligns with comments from other parents and family members in the district who expressed their outrage over the board's decision to ratify Reed during an October 27 meeting before taking comments from the public.
'When adults think about themselves and their agenda before the joy of the children they serve. This district has their priorities wrong and they are failing our kids and families. Do better OSD,' wrote one parent.
Many parents were also angered after the district posted a photo of employees in Halloween costumes, which were not allowed in school for children.
'My kids at Garfield were also informed that costumes are not allowed. How is this fair,' wrote one mom.
'OSD isn't about fair,' responded another parent. 'Fair would allow kids to opt out of content against their values. Fair would be a balanced school board.'
'Fair would be open communication where families are heard and respected. Fair would be following survey data on year round calendar and move on like NTPS did. Fair doesn't align with their control and far-left agrnda,' the commenter continued.
'I am glad I don't have any kids going to any school covered by the Olympia School District,' said another person.
'Hopefully there are no incidences or felons showing up. Your new leadership is both a cop hater AND felon. So don't expect police if you yell for help,' one person wrote.
'As Talauna would say, that's f****d up,' said another Facebook user, commenting on the costume policy.
The Olympia School District posted a series of photos showing employees in costume over the weekend. The post received heavy backlash with many parents calling the district 'unfair' due to the reported rule about children not being allowed to wear costumes on Halloween
Comments stacked up on a recent Facebook post made by the Olympia School District
Parents and family members expressed outrage over the district's 'unfair' policies
Reed was one of six candidates interviewed for the position by the school board. She also gave a presentation focused on an equity policy the school district is currently working on
The school board said in a press release that it interviewed six candidates for the position, but ultimately awarded it to Reed.
'It amazes me how those pigs can sit over there to watch us peacefully talk about what we want to change in this state,' she said.
'It amazes me. And they don't pay attention until we tear s**t up. So, before I get started, tear everything up in this f**king city until they do what we want them to do.'
Earlier in the short clip Reed asks the crowd to say aloud the name of two women. First was Breonna Taylor, a black medical worker who was shot and killed by police officers in Kentucky in 2020, causing protests throughout the US.
The second woman was Yvonne McDonald - a black woman and Reed's aunt who was mysteriously found dead in 2018 by a street sweeper in west Olympia.
Reed became involved in activism in 2018 after the mysterious death of her aunt Yvonne McDonald. In the controversial video Reed asks the crowd to chant her name
Activists have argued that the city's investigation of the 58-year-old McDonald was insufficient and improper, alleging that they are either 'incompetent or they are covering something up,' the group Justice for Yvonne McDonald said in a press release.
Reed has personally said she believes that the police 'know something' and they were 'protecting their employee'. She has alleged that the death of her aunt was a murder and called for the street sweeper, Henry Morales, who found her aunt dead to resign.
In a separate video Reed can be heard chanting: 'Fire Henry Morales'.
Reed was described as 'an outspoken community organizer' by local news outlet KOMO News. According to a recent press release from the school board Reed has worked as an Advocacy Navigator at Interfaith Works, a group that helps homeless people.
'Reed facilitates training in Cultural Diversity, de-escalation, restorative justice models, anti-racism and trauma-informed care across multiple organizations and in collaboration with other Thurston County providers,' the statement says.
'There's a lot of classism in the school district and there's a lot of exclusion,' Reed said during a presentation to the board. Hers focused on an equity policy the school district is currently working on.
'I know students feel shut down and isolated,' she said. 'There's probably a lack of teachers from different ethnicities in the state of Washington but I know they're round - they're somewhere.'
Reed will serve a one-year term until December 2023.
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