Two Americas: Poll Shows 44% of Voters Support FBI Targeting Anti-CRT Parents, 47% Oppose

A plurality of American voters oppose the Biden administration’s move to investigate parents publicly opposing school policies, such as Critical Race Theory (CRT), a Rasmussen Reports survey released Wednesday found.

This month, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced he is directing the FBI to investigate parents opposing radical school policies, such as CRT, in order to combat supposed “threats of violence” against administrators. The move followed example after example of impassioned parents directly confronting school boards over their radical agenda items. 

However, a plurality of likely voters disagree with Garland’s move. According to the survey, 47 percent oppose the federal investigation. Of those, 39 percent “strongly” oppose it. Another 44 percent support the decision, and among those, just over a quarter “strongly” support it. 

Predictably, opinions vary vastly on party lines:

Democrats are about twice as likely as other voters to support Garland’s order for a federal investigation of alleged threats against school officials. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats support the FBI investigation, but Garland’s order is supported by only 31% of Republicans and 32% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Fifty-four percent (54%) of GOP voters Strongly Oppose the federal investigation, as do 18% of Democrats and 49% of unaffiliated voters.

Respondents were also asked, “Do you agree or disagree with this statement: ‘The reported heated encounters between concerned parents and school boards often involve speech that is clearly protected by the First Amendment. Federal law enforcement muscle should never be used against protesting parents’?”

A significant majority, 68 percent, said they agree, and of those 48 percent “strongly” agree. 

Across the board, 88 percent say it is “very important” for parents to be involved in their children’s education. 

They survey, taken October 11-12, 2021, among 1,000 likely voters, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.