Massachusetts Police Training Group Labels Custody Advocates as “Hate Groups”

A committee responsible for training police officers in Massachusetts has categorized conservative custody advocacy groups, specifically Moms for Liberty, as “hate groups” within their instructional materials.

The Massachusetts Police Training Committee (MPTC) has included these groups alongside organizations such as ANTIFA in a lesson plan titled “Freedom and Hatred: Speech, Crime, Groups.” This categorization has generated significant controversy.

Tina Deskovich, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, expressed her discontent with this characterization. Reportedly, the training materials suggest that group members use parental rights to undermine public education and discourage inclusivity for minority and LGBTQ+ students.

Deskovich voiced her concerns during an appearance on a talk show, stating that it worries her when those who are meant to ensure public safety are trained to see her group as a potential threat. She emphasized that her organization consists of dedicated parents striving to improve educational conditions for public school students.

During her discussion, she criticized the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which has labeled her group along with ten others as “anti-government extremist groups” in its 2022 report on extremism.

The MPTC training resources referenced this SPLC designation, further amplifying the group’s frustration. Deskovich pointed out that this association paints a misleading image of their mission, equating them with groups notorious for violence.

Moms for Liberty has accessed these training materials via a Freedom of Information Act request, indicating a push for transparency regarding how their advocacy is portrayed in law enforcement training.

Despite reaching out to MPTC for a statement on the situation, Fox News Digital did not receive any feedback.