The conservative “parent’s rights’ ‘ education movement, led by Moms for Liberty, faced scrutiny on 60 Minutes. The segment shed light on their stance against LGBTQ+ educational materials. Co-founders Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich were interviewed against a backdrop of electoral defeats for their endorsed candidates in school board elections across the US. During the 60 Minutes interview, Scott Pelley noted that Justice and Descovich avoided addressing her questions directly, instead, they used written talking points. When pressed about the alleged indoctrination of children, commonly called by the radical right as “grooming”, they deflected, focusing instead on educational performance rather than the content of the books. Author Chasten Buttigieg, the spouse of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, commented in response to the interview, saying, “They literally have to look at printed talking points.” In response to the 60 Minutes, Moms for Liberty criticized CBS for purportedly “censoring” the content of the books discussed during the filming. Specific books, including “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson and “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, were listed, with Moms for Liberty arguing that exposing children to such content without parental consent could be viewed as “grooming.” The electoral defeats of Moms for Liberty-endorsed candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Iowa underscored a broader public sentiment against their approach to education and LGBTQ+ issues.
