DeSantis and Trump among the 2024 GOP hopefuls appearing at the annual Moms for Liberty gathering

By ALI SWENSON and JILL COLVIN
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says that 2024 will be the year that parents “finally fight back” as he kicks off an annual gathering of Moms for Liberty that is drawing top GOP candidates. The group was founded in Florida in 2021 to fight local COVID school mask mandates and quarantine requirements. It has quickly become a force in conservative politics as an advocate for “parental rights” in education. But it has also been accused of preaching hate. The Southern Poverty Law Center labels it an “extremist” group for allegedly harassing community members, advancing anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation and fighting to scrub diverse and inclusive material from lesson plans.