Targets Students Based on Exercise of Freedom of Speech & Expression “Don’t Be A Puppet”

1. Targets Students Based on Exercise of Freedom of Speech & Expression“Don’t Be A Puppet” Yolanda Rondon, ADC Staff Attorney

2. Origins of “Don’t Be a Puppet” • In 2014 claims surfaced articulating the threat of ISIS recruitment on social media, and demands from government officials for an official strategy • Reports demonstrate that the threat of social media recruitment by ISIS was overstated and ISIS recruitment is generally one-on-one in person, or you know someone who may have joined a terrorist group • February 8, 2015- White House Summit • H.R. 2899 – CVE Act of 2015 - McCaul Bill • FBI October 2015 Meeting • Informed ADC and partner organizations that FBI “Don’t Be a Puppet Program” website was set to launch November 2, 2015 • 2 years of time and resources invested into website • Informed that an curriculum would accompany website launch and would work with schools to use in classrooms through government, civics, and social studies courses • Limited version of the website shown with few exercise examples

3. FBI identified Persons of Interest to Teachers: • a youth posting on Facebook their intent to attend a political protest.  • a youth posting on Facebook about feeling emotional.  • a youth with a common Arabic name who posted on Facebook that he’s going overseas on a mission and asked if anyone wants to join. Essentially the FBI was encouraging teachers to monitor their students social media accounts, policing thoughts and ideas both inside and outside the classroom. Classifying political opposition and political speech as a crime. Equating all Arabs and Muslims with crime, terror and violence that must be reported to law enforcement.

4. “Teachers in classrooms should not become an extension of law enforcement. The program is based on flawed theories of radicalization, namely that individuals radicalize in the exact same way and it’s entirely discernible. But it’s not, and the FBI is basically asking teachers and students to suss these things out.” (Arjun S. Sethi, Georgetown University Law Center)

5. “Don’t Be a Puppet” Postponed Federal law enforcement Overreach in Classrooms: 1) Teaching Racial and Religious Profiling supporting misconception that “at risk” students are Arab and Muslim – suspect communities supporting misconception that violent extremism is a Muslim and Arab problem 2) First Amendment Concerns Chilling freedom of speech, thought expression, and debate on controversial issues, and political opposition 3) Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Program Masked as Education Tool requesting teachers to monitor students & report to police 4) Bullying improperly painting image that Arabs and Islam is the enemy

6. “Don’t Be a Puppet” Reinvigorated • Paris Attack – November 14, 2015 • San Bernardino Attack – December 2, 2015 • Senate Legislation Introduced • S. 2369/S.2522 Community Partnership Act (Carper) December 8, 2015 • S. 2418 CVE in Social Media Act (Booker & Johnson) December 17, 2015 • FBI January 2016 Meeting • ADC and coalition partners review beta version of website. Demand removal and raise Constitutional and Civil Rights concerns. Civil liberties groups and teacher unions denied meeting.

7. FBI Release CVE in School Guidelines January 2016 Preventing Violent Extremism in Schools (p. 3-4) Tasks schools with detecting extremism – instructs 2 hour block of violent extremism awareness in core curriculum of all high school students. “youth possess inherent risk factors” Behavior Approaches (p. 6-7): • Provides that demographic, socioeconomic and familial status equate to “at risk” – what FBI considers dysfunctional norms • Provides development delays/disorders result in low quality supportive influences – which leads to violent extremism • Provides that self-esteem building leads to prejudice of others https://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-PreventingExtremismSchools.pdf

8. “Don’t Be a Puppet” Launched February 8, 2016

9. Don’t Be a Puppet Website Monitoring of Students by Teachers & Law Enforcement in Classrooms • Provides that program may be used in government, social studies, and history • Directs teachers to direct students to the “Where to Get Help” section upon completion of five section exercises • Directs teachers to keep/collect certificates of students whom complete website https://cve.fbi.gov/info-discussion-leaders.html

10. Don’t Be a Puppet Website Profiling & Conflation of Unpopular Thought with Violence The website definesViolent extremism as “encouraging, condoning, justifying, or supporting the commission of a violent act to achieve political, ideological, religious, social, or economic goals.” The website instructs users to Explore the key parts and tools of violent extremism by clicking on each topic below. • Symbols/Targets of Hate • Blame Game https://cve.fbi.gov/whatis/ Leads to Bullying and Disproportionate Disciplinary Measures

11. Don’t Be a Puppet Propagating false radicalization and persons “at risk” narratives The website states that people become violent extremists due to false romanticism of terrorism, and socioeconomic factors. The website suggests that people whom are poor, Muslim or Arab, from a single parent home, have experienced systematic abuse and discrimination are the people that need to be watched. You also need to be watched if you are bored with life, or want to make a positive difference in the world. “For example, a person may feel alone or lack meaning and purpose in life. Those who are emotionally upset after a stressful event also may be vulnerable to recruitment. Some people also become violent extremists because they disagree with government policy…” https://cve.fbi.gov/why/

12. Don’t Be a Puppet Website • Surveillance Tool Not Education Tool • Instructs Students/Teens to go to Where to Get Help Page https://cve.fbi.gov/info-teens.html • Call Police or 911 – See Something, Say Something Tactic • Where you see suspicious behavior • Person using private messaging apps • Person talking about travel to suspicious places • Persons using unusual language • Reading extremist material • Taking pictures of government buildings • Researching or training with weapons or explosives • Website subject to FBI Data Collection and Retention

13. Targets Political Dissent and Activism

14. Targets Political Dissent and Activism

15. Flags of a CVE Program • Law enforcement involvement in a social service program including • FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Department of Defense, state and local police, or state and local health and human service agency • Formal or informal reporting mechanism to federal, state or local law enforcement and/or government entity (including state or federal attorney general office) on student participation, identity in civic engagement/social service program • Funding from Office of Justice Programs (DOJ), Office of Community Orientated Policing (DOJ), Office for Community Partnerships (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) • Presentations, seminars, meetings on radicalization and/or warning signs for “at risk” students

16. FBI Confirms Targeting Schools --FBI, Office of Partner Engagement, May 2, 2016

17. These Programs are CVE ProgramsCommunity Resilience (Minnesota)Strong/Sanctuary Cities (New York)Strong Cities (Atlanta and Denver)Community Policing/ Empowering Local Partners (Boston)

18. CVE Program = The involvement of pro-CVE, CVE Funded and/or CVE Founded Entities, and persons affiliated: WORDE, Muflehun, Center for Strategic & International Studies Centers for Homeland Security (counter-terrorism centers designated by DHS) • CREATE, University of South California • ALERT, Northeastern University • START, University of Maryland • CVADA, Perdue University & Rutgers University • SAIS, John Hopkins University Fusion Centers (anti-terrorism intelligence sharing centers, military –Dept. of Defense involvement)

19. Peer to Peer (P2P) Program -Spearheaded by the National Counter-Terrorism Center -Seeks Private Sector Partners to Counter Violent Extremism Online -55 schools in total participating, 21 Schools in the United States – majority at Centers for Homeland Security -Booker upcoming legislation intends to designate schools whom participate as Centers for Homeland Security

20. Peer to Peer (P2P) Program -No way to measure effectiveness -No U.S. Dep’t. of Education – Office of Civil Rights substantive involvement and oversight -No Training on Civil Rights & Liberties and Privacy Protections - Cherry Picking and Transparency. What are the credentials and qualifications for private partners to identify schools? Information not public. -No culturally competent experts and issue experts reviewing applications

21. Targeting Protest & Activism 2005-Documents obtained by ACLU demonstrated that Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee were subject to monitoring under “counterterrorism.” The FBI expanded the definition of “domestic terrorism” to include citizens and groups that participate in lawful protests or civil disobedience.

22. Targeting Protest & Activism 2011- counter-terrorism firm spied on individuals who attended film screenings of the documentary Gasland. The film focuses on the practice of natural gas fracking. 2015- Kevin Johnson, 27, and Tyler Lang, 25, face up to 10 years in prison under Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act for allegedly releasing thousands of mink & foxes from fur farms.