Parent goes viral after ripping school board over coronavirus closures
Virginia father Brandon Michon discusses the response to video on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight'
The Virginia father whose recent angry outburst against local school closures went viral told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Thursday that he hopes his message will reach leaders on both sides of the political aisle so children can begin to return to their classrooms after struggling through months of virtual learning.
Brandon Michon, a father of two children aged five and eight, grew increasingly angry as he addressed a meeting of the the Loudoun County School Board.
"Look, we've gone for months to these school board meetings and as parents, you know, our voice wasn't being heard," he told Carlson.
"And so what happened was when I got up there, you know, my blood started boiling a little bit. And as I began speaking, I said, 'Look, I want them to hear me. I want them to look up and pay attention,' and I think we’ve got some acknowledgment from that."
VIRGINIA PARENT BOILS OVER IN FRUSTRATION AGAINST SCHOOL SHUTDOWNS
"I want them to hear me. I want them to look up and pay attention."
Michon called the board members "a bunch of cowards," and accused them of "hiding behind our children as an excuse for keeping schools closed."
At one point, the father exploded in rage, noting that "the garbage workers who pick up my freakin’ trash risk their lives every day more than anyone in this school system!"
Then he issued an ultimatum to the board: "Figure it out! Or get off the podium. Because you know what? There are people like me and a lot of other people out there who will gladly take your seat and figure it out. It’s not a high bar. Raise the freakin’ bar!"
Michon acknowledged that the teachers are "trying their best," telling Carlson that they were "thrown into these circumstances and I feel for them.
"Look, a kindergarten teacher never signed up to be an online professor," he said, but "we're all trying to figure this out together. Children, teachers, what we want is them back in schools learning and being children."
Michon's outburst was not political in nature, he told Carlson, but was aimed at ineffective elected officials who "sit back and let other people lead".
"This is about the children," he said. "This isn't about a political party."
"What I said and what I was passionate about is, look, if you're not going to lead -- this country was built on strong leaders -- take a step to the side," he added. "That's OK, and let other people step into that void. If you're not going to get our kids back, make a plan and execute it. And you know what? You may fall a little short but it's better than no plan at all."
Michon encouraged other parents to speak up and make their voices heard at local school board meetings across America.
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"Write something. Phone in. Write an e-mail. Try to make some change," he urged.
"Try to get our kids back in school, because our kids are the most important asset in our life and them learning and being mentored and being educated is all we have to look forward to, because they're going to be taking care of us when we’re old."
