PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at the Moms for Liberty National Summit
Federal Photos

PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at the Moms for Liberty National Summit

By Catriona Ni Aolain — September 03, 2024 1 min read
Moms for Liberty member Aura Moody dances with others at the annual Moms For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 30, 2024.
Moms for Liberty member Aura Moody dances with others at the conservative parents' rights organization's annual summit in Washington, on Friday, August 30, 2024.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Copy URL
Washington

At the Moms for Liberty national summit here last week, former President Donald Trump fielded questions from Tiffany Justice, co-founder of the conservative parents’ rights organization, on a range of issues.

Largely missing from the discussion: education.

Moms for Liberty was founded in 2021 as a response to parental frustrations with schools’ COVID policies. In the years since, the group has expanded its agenda to supporting and electing conservative candidates to local school boards.

See also

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice during an event at the group's annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, speaks with Tiffany Justice, a Moms for Liberty co-founder, during the group's national summit on Friday Aug. 30, 2024, in Washington. The former president spoke only briefly about issues directly related to education.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Federal At Moms for Liberty National Summit, Trump Hardly Mentions Education
Libby Stanford, August 30, 2024
•
5 min read

Here’s a behind the scenes look at the event the night that Trump spoke.

California teacher and Moms for Liberty member Katie Gorman at the annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024. Gorman has taught for eight years. She joined Moms for Liberty two years ago after the Covid restrictions began in schools such as “the mask on our children and when they told teachers in California that they could not teach unless they were doing the testing and vaccinations.” Gorman has three children of her own and worries about their future education.
Katie Gorman, a teacher in California who is also a member of Moms for Liberty, attends the group's summit in Washington, on Friday, August 30, 2024. Gorman has taught for eight years. She joined Moms for Liberty two years ago after Covid restrictions began in schools such as “the mask on our children and when they told teachers in California that they could not teach unless they were doing the testing and vaccinations.” Gorman has three children of her own and worries about their future education.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
Moms for Liberty member Cristiane Mersch snacks and looks through the displays at the annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024.
Moms for Liberty member Cristiane Mersch snacks and looks through the displays at the summit.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
A Moms for Liberty member sports her pin on her bright red jacket at the annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024.
A summit attendee sports a Moms for Liberty pin on her lapel.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
Attendees at the Moms For Liberty Joyful Warriors Summit in Washington, D.C., Aug. 30, 2024.
Attendees at the Moms for Liberty summit, which ended with an appearance from former President Donald Trump who affirmed his commitment to parents' rights in schools.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
A Moms for Liberty member waits in line while clutching two ‘Make America Great Again’ hats at the annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024.
A Moms for Liberty member waits in line while clutching two ‘Make America Great Again’ hats. The group is a big supporter of former President Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
Former President Donald J. Trump and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice greet the audience at the annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024. He was the final keynote speaker of the day.
Former President Donald Trump and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice greet the audience at the summit.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week
Former President Donald J. Trump ends stands to acknowledge the crowd at the end annual Mom’s For Liberty Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2024. He was the final keynote speaker of the day.
Former President Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd at the Moms for Liberty summit where he spoke for more than an hour but said very little about education and schools, which is the group's core issue.
Lawren Simmons for Education Week

Catriona Ni Aolain
Managing Editor, Visual and Immersive Experiences,  Education Week
Catriona Ni Aolain was a managing editor for Education Week who oversaw visuals and immersive experiences.
Related Tags:
Parents Donald J. Trump Elections

Events

Tue., August 11, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar Grow Leaders, Keep Teachers: Leadership Development as a Staffing Strategy
Find out how to turn leadership development into a staffing strategy and grow your next generation of school leaders from within.
Content provided by Frontline Education
Register
Tue., August 18, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Teaching Webinar Closing the Practice Gap: Essential Insights for Leaders
Three instructional experts will share strategies for making students’ reading and math practice more engaging and impactful this year.
Content provided by Renaissance
Register
Tue., September 29, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar The Principal's Role in Collective Efficacy and Student Outcomes
Learn practical strategies that help principals translate their confidence into stronger collective teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
Content provided by Otus
Register
See More Events

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs
Create Your Own Job Search

Read Next

Federal Senate Panel Advances Bill to Block Much of Trump Admin.’s Ed. Dept. Dismantling
The bill pushes back, but only partially, against Trump's efforts to end the 46-year-old department.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens
•
5 min read
DFreeman EDW CH 041
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., listens as Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., speaks during a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee session on July 30, 2026 in the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The committee voted to advance a measure that would block many of the Trump administration's transfers of Education Department programs to other agencies.
Demetrius Freeman for Education Week
Federal Ed. Dept. Shifts Civil Rights to the Justice Dept.: What It Means for Schools
The office for civil rights has already changed dramatically. What more will change in the Justice Dept.?
Alyson Klein
•
13 min read
EL 20260717 EducationWeekAFT109
The Department of Education headquarters in Washington on July 17, 2026. The Trump administration has been transferring day-to-day management of the agency's programs to other Cabinet-level departments. The administration recently announced the transfer of its civil rights enforcement arm to the Department of Justice.
Eric Lee for Education Week
Federal K-12 Community Urges Trump Administration to Rethink Grant Rule Changes
About 500,000 public comments, including those from school districts, have poured in about proposed rule changes.
Mark Walsh
•
8 min read
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testifies during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Washington.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testifies during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, on June 30, 2026, in Washington. Proposed changes to federal administration of grants have raised concerns among school groups.
Mariam Zuhaib/AP
Federal The Ed. Department Calls for a Crackdown on Teacher Sexual Misconduct
The agency released new guidance for schools and launched 20 new probes into school districts.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens & Olina Banerji
•
5 min read
Collage of a school building, files, maps, and pinpoints on the map.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Canva