An audio recording from a recent Moms for Liberty meeting in Cabot captures a group member musing about gunning down a school librarian over tension about what books are appropriate for young readers.
The person who captured that audio at a June 9 meeting at Crossroads Cafe in Cabot asked to remain anonymous. The person said keeping audio records of public meetings is simply their normal practice, but that they decided to share this one because it was disturbing. The person confirmed the voice in the recording belongs to Melissa “Missy” Bosch, the leader of an anti-mask effort in the Cabot School District last year, and an administrator of the Moms for Liberty – Lonoke County, AR Facebook page.
Launched in Florida in early 2021, Moms for Liberty is a conservative organization already known for driving boisterous campaigns against mask mandates in schools and pushing to remove books and curriculum that address sexuality, LGBTQ rights, racism or discrimination.
Posted on TikTok, different cuts of audio recordings from the June 9 meeting have been played thousands of times. You can listen to the shortest recording below.
@evidencelocker1999 #momsforliberty #cabotarkansas #momsforsocialjustice #redflag ♬ original sound – evidencelocker1999
Both this short recording and a longer version also shared to TikTok on an account called @evidencelocker1999 are muffled and sometimes hard to make out. They capture a woman expressing frustration about a librarian who she says gets paid $85,000 a year. “I’m telling you, if I had any mental issues, they would all be plowed down by a freaking gun right now.”
Soon after this TikTok audio started making the social media rounds, the Cabot School District made a cryptic announcement via Twitter and on its website:
“The Cabot School District considers the safety of students and staff its highest priority. Alleged threats shall be submitted to law enforcement for investigation. Likewise, the District will take appropriate action to ensure the safety of our students and staff.”
School spokeswoman Liz Massey declined to comment beyond the statement on the website.
The Cabot Police Department confirmed they’re investigating a threat against the district, but declined to release any specifics.
“We do have an active investigation” involving an alleged threat against the Cabot School District, Cabot Police Sgt. Kevin Marty said today. “We will release more information when it becomes available.”
Marty said no one has been arrested. He declined to confirm that the matter involved Bosch and a librarian.
Reached by phone this afternoon, Bosch said she couldn’t comment. “The officer said not to comment because we’re waiting for the full audio to come out,” she said.
In January, Bosch submitted an application to the state charter school committee to start a charter in Cabot called Omni Classical Prep of Cabot. Arkansas Education Department spokesman Kimberly Mundell said there are “multiple steps” in the application process and this was only the initial one.
