Activists interrupt another Moms for Liberty meeting, this time in Charlotte
Activists interrupt another Moms for Liberty meeting, this time in Charlotte
Activist with ties to current CMS school board member involved
Two women attempted to interrupt a meeting of the Charlotte chapter of Moms for Liberty this past week.
The Moms for Liberty group was holding a meeting at a local pizzeria that had closed down to the public for the group’s Sept. 7 event. Moms for Liberty had invited the education chair of the local NAACP chapter Annette Albright to address their group.
One of the activists was identified as Pamela Grundy, a long-time supporter of Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member Carol Sawyer. Grundy is listed among the names of those endorsing Sawyer on her campaign website.
Apparently, Grundy and Sawyer have collaborated for at least a decade, according to a Sept. 4, 2022, post titled, “Pam and Carol’s Excellent DNC Adventure,” on the website “ShamrockGardens.org.”
That website and Grundy also made an appearance on the White House’s website during the Obama administration as one of its "Champions of Change" related to " Shamrock Gardens Elementary, “a struggling school with high poverty rates, low test scores, and dilapidated grounds."
Grundy is also listed as an author at Queen City Nerve, the activist blog Cardinal and Pine and Education NC.
Moms for Liberty Charlotte want to see Sawyer’s opponent Stephanie Sneed take over Sawyer’s seat in the upcoming November election.
Grundy and her unidentified female companion apparently tried to gain access to the restaurant under the guise of needing to use the restroom. Once inside, the two women began to cause a disruption.
Brooke Weiss, the chair of the Charlotte chapter of Moms for Liberty, documented how the situation unfolded in a Facebook post.
Weiss wrote that the restaurant closes the dining area for her group, that their meetings are private events and that they keep a sign-up sheet at the entrance.
”When these three people entered, they were asked to sign in and refused,” Weiss wrote. “They lied and said they were just going to the bathroom but immediately parked themselves at the back of the restaurant.”
Weiss included a play-by-play of her talking to the two women and explaining it was a private event but they did not leave and continued to refuse to leave even when a young woman running the restaurant asked them to go.
The situation then began to escalate, with the women attempting to photograph attendees of the meeting.
“When they began taking pictures of the people attending the meeting, the police were called,” Weiss wrote. “While I understand and accept that I am a target as the chapter chair, people that attend our meetings do not deserve to be targeted in the same way that I am.”
According to Weiss, after the police were called, the two women left the building but refused to leave the restaurant’s parking lot and began to harass customers picking up takeout orders as well as a man and his daughter dining on the patio.
“To show you how unhinged these two women were, I’m posting the video below,” Weiss wrote. She also added, “I certainly hope that Ms. Sawyer will condemn this behavior. It is dangerous and completely inappropriate.”
Sawyer did not post an official response but did make a comment on Facebook condemning Grundy and her associate’s actions.
Weiss’ Facebook post included a video of interactions with Grundy and her companion outside of the restaurant.
Wearing a “Cheri Beasley for U.S. Senate campaign” t-shirt, the unidentified woman is seen in the video yelling at Weiss’ husband, claiming that "you've been rude to me" and "you're against rape...and you know who is doing it? White men!"
She also seemed happy to be recorded on video, "Take my picture, I don't care!" and "put me on! I am sick of you guys!"
Weiss’ husband, who recorded the incident, also posted that clip to Twitter:
“Dear Mr. Weiss. You were there. You know exactly why my friend became so emotional,” Grundy responded in a since-deleted tweet. “Despite that, you chose to film her in her moment of trauma and put it up on Facebook. That act says everything anyone needs to know about you or your organization. Good day.”
Grundy had lashed out on social media calling Moms for Liberty a “far-right organization” supported by “far-right money.” As reported by WFAE, Weiss denied any national money was being given to her group.
“We’re a bunch of moms, and I mean, our chapter has a tiny, tiny bank account,” Weiss told WFAE. “We couldn’t open one for a long time because we didn’t have the money for a minimum balance.”
Moms for Liberty Charlotte has since reached out to Grundy in email, which was shared with More To The Story.
Hi Pamela
I am reaching out to ask you to meet me for coffee. I am really sorry that things have blown up into the distraction that they have become. My ultimate focus has and will continue to be on making the situation better for all CMS students.
I know you’ve been a powerful educational advocate for a long time, and I am hoping that we can have a rational and calm conversation. I have worked hard to find common ground with other groups, and would appreciate the opportunity to do that with you.
I do not believe in cancel culture, and I am willing to prove that. I was willing to meet with you after Wednesday’s meeting, and my husband tried to communicate that to you. I am sorry he was misunderstood and your friend was triggered.As I prepare for Shabbat, I want to let you know that I am lighting my candles tonight in honor of CMS students and the effort to raise every student up.
Brooke Weiss
Chair of Moms for Liberty, Mecklenburg County
www.momsforliberty.org
Weiss told More To The Story that Grundy had blocked her on social media.
During and since the pandemic, groups like Moms for Liberty have raised awareness about inappropriate books in schools, issues with curriculum, and concerns about falling academic achievement.
Parents becoming more engaged in the education of their children and with school district operations has made them a driving force in elections.
Weiss says the past, elections have typically been a top to bottom ballot in terms of voting habits, but this year she sees the bottom-of-the-ballot races being a priority to voters.
Her assessment is backed by a new report breaking down data in an education poll from the National Association of Public Charter Schools (NAPCS). The report solidifies parents as a strong new category of swing voters.
According to the report, “More than four in five parents (83%) agree that education has become a more important political issue to them than it was in the past,” and a whopping 82% are “willing to vote outside their party on the issue of education.”
More To The Story
This latest incident in Charlotte marks the second time in recent months that activists have tried to “cancel” such an event in North Carolina.
Earlier this year, a progressive activist named Katherine Johnson targeted a happy hour event organized by Wake County Moms for Liberty to be held at an establishment called Wye Hill Kitchen and Brewing.
In a video posted by Libs of Tik Tok, Johnson bragged about the cancelation.
"Hey Moms for Liberty of Wake County, I heard ya'll had to change venues,” said Johnson. “I wonder who woulda done somethin' like that… it was me, Katherine for Justice!"
Johnson’s “cancel” tactic worked.
Wye Hill owners sent a message to the Wake Moms for Liberty, saying they canceled their group’s event because it would “negate what we stand for.”
Not long after the Wye Hill incident, Johnson attempted to cancel another event in Wake County; a school board candidate forum being held at Sophie’s Grill in the Raleigh suburb of Cary.
The restaurant stood firm and the candidate forum went on despite Johnson posting a video to Tik-Tok video claiming victory. The link to that video now displays a page that says “video currently unavailable.”