‘The View’ hosts question Ashley Tisdale’s mom group exit: ‘Why can’t you just leave?’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Ashley Tisdale’s candid essay about walking away from a “toxic” mom friend group sparked discussion far beyond social media, landing squarely on the table at ‘The Weekend View’.
During the Saturday, January 10 episode of the ABC talk show, the co-hosts weighed in on how Tisdale chose to exit the group and whether her approach undercut the boundary she said she was trying to set.
The ‘High School Musical’ star, now a business owner and mother of two, went viral earlier this month after publishing a personal essay in 'The Cut.' In it, she reflected on exclusion, shifting adult friendships, and choosing self-preservation over forced connection.
The conversation centered less on whether Tisdale was right to leave and more on how she chose to do it.
Sara Haines says Ashley Tisdale’s exit text felt ‘high school’
While the panel acknowledged that mom groups can become emotionally complicated, co-host Sara Haines questioned Tisdale’s decision to announce her departure with a pointed message in a group chat.
In her essay, Tisdale revealed she sent a final text to the group saying, “This is too high school for me and I don’t want to take part in it anymore,” after feeling repeatedly excluded.
That moment didn’t sit well with Haines.
“Like, I would never write to a group and say, like, ‘Shame on all of you,’” Haines said. “You just drop out. You just go.”
Haines argued that while Tisdale clearly felt hurt, calling out the group before leaving felt contradictory. “That feels a little like the high school part,” she added.
Reflecting on her own boundaries, Haines said exclusion can sometimes be a clear signal to move on. “If they’re leaving me out, I’ve got other people over here. Like, I’m good,” she explained.
Ana Navarro questions why Ashley Tisdale did not quietly leave the mom group
Ana Navarro echoed Haines’ sentiments, questioning why Tisdale felt the need to make her departure explicit.
“Why do you have to go through all of these steps?” Navarrro asked. “Why can’t you just leave the conversation, and get it out of your head and out of your life?”
Navarro lightened the moment by referencing Whoopi Goldberg, who was absent from the episode, as someone known for exiting group chats without explanation. Sunny Hostin confirmed the observation, prompting laughter from the panel.
The exchange underscored a broader point the hosts appeared to agree on: disengagement does not always require confrontation.
Alyssa Farah Griffin weighs in on toxic mom culture and parenting priorities
Alyssa Farah Griffin offered a more nuanced take, acknowledging that “toxic mom culture” exists while urging empathy for how parenting reshapes priorities.
“Toxic mom culture is a thing,” Griffin said, noting she had heard similar stories from friends. But as an expectant mother, she emphasized how consuming parenthood can be.
“If I don’t get back to a girlfriend, if I don’t respond to a text, it’s not personal,” she explained. “It’s not high school. It’s not me being petty.”
Griffin added that perceived slights, like seating arrangements or missed messages, can often stem from exhaustion rather than intent. “My focus is my child right now,” she said.
Ashley Tisdale explains why she chose to leave the mom group
In her essay, which expanded on an earlier blog post titled 'You’re Allowed to Leave Your Mom Group,' Tisdale framed her decision as an act of honesty rather than accusation.
“If a mom group consistently leaves you feeling hurt, drained or left out, it’s not the mom group for you,” she wrote. “Choosing to step away doesn’t make you mean or judgmental.”
Although Tisdale did not name anyone, fans speculated about her past friendships with celebrities including Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore and Meghan Trainor. Her representative later denied that those women were the subject of the essay.
A source close to the mom group told PEOPLE there was “a misalignment of values” and suggested the situation “didn’t warrant a dramatic breakup text.”