School Board member Elizabeth Andersen stirred up a hornet’s nest when she attacked a parent in a recent video.

The victim of Andersen’s attack has retained legal counsel. The cause of the furor was a video Andersen made that quickly became viral on social media.

In the video she called Tia Bess, a black parent with an autistic child, a “token.” The parent is a supporter of Andersen’s opponent April Arena Carney, who is challenging Andersen for the District 2 seat on the board in an election that will be decided next Tuesday.

In the video Andersen also referred to male supporters of Carney as “borderline racist.”

Bess consulted with a local lawyer who sent Andersen a letter demanding a retraction for her “false and defamatory” statements before noon Aug. 16. Andersen did not respond by that time.

Bess also did a video of her own, eating watermelon and fried chicken to play out the role of a “token” in satirical fashion.

Local activist Quisha King, who has achieved national attention for her defense of parental rights in schools, also denounced Andersen, along with Carney.

Armed with a huge infusion of funds from a teachers union, Andersen is leading Carney in the money race, but the political activity on the ground has favored Carney, with volunteers from groups such as Moms for Liberty and Concerned Citizens Defending Freedom working on behalf of the Carney, the conservative candidate.

Many local parents believe the liberal School Board is promoting racism by emphasizing race, making pornography available to students and encouraging the fad of “transitioning” to another gender, which can cause students distress and physical harm and even lead them to attempt suicide.

Bess, King and other parents are leading the fight to push back against these harmful policies and practices.