"Conservative activist faces Maine school boards in free-speech court cases"

[GPV]

The cases could have wide implications for Maine schools at a time when even small towns are seeing divisive and nationalized battles over LGBTQ and gender identity issues. McBreairty, who has already won a settlement from RSU 22, is challenging a Maine law that requires a public comment time during school board meetings but allows boards to establish “reasonable standards” for the public comment period.

Many school committees in Maine prevent people at board meetings from criticizing staff, teachers and students by name. Both RSU 22 and Hermon require that those complaints be made privately to the appropriate supervisor. McBreairty has criticized teachers by name in both districts at their respective school board meetings. His Hermon case concerns the aftermath of these policies.

Attempts have been made to gavel him to silence, but he has refused to stop talking or playing a pre-recorded statement, according to court documents. Hampden police escorted him from meetings earlier this year. In Hermon, board members have paused meetings and left the meeting room when he named staff members.

It is the second time McBreairty has sued RSU 22 in federal court. Last fall, the district settled a lawsuit for $40,000 over the school board banning him from public meetings. A federal judge found that banning an individual from meetings because of the content of the speech was unconstitutional.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/04/25/news/bangor/shawn-mcbreairty-maine-schools-free-speech-court-joam40zk0w/

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Here is ALL you need to know about this fucker

[stopdiggin]

2. one of the few places where I end up on the 'other' side

in 1st Amend issues. The idea that 'public meetings' must be allowed to descend to the level of bullhorns, performance art, and spittle flecked invective and threat - because '1st Amend' - turns the 'freedom' on its head. If public meetings and debate are not allowed to police themselves in any manner - it will quickly lead to the extinction of such functions.

Free speech does not necessarily encompass the right for disruption and sabotage on other function and expression. Imagine, if you will, that someone brings a boombox or bullhorn into a favorite 'concert' that people have traveled miles and made great sacrifice to see ... 1st Amend? Trumps everybody else's rights and freedoms?

[Timeflyer]

3. Same behavior in Sarasota FL school bd. meetings--Moms for Bigotry Melissa Bakondy abusing gay

board member by name. Community has risen up in opposition to her and the Christofascists who are trying to take over FL under Ron DeSadist. It's going to be a long struggle to keep our democracy from descending into theocratic authoritarianism, but we need to mobilize right now, together.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Clever strategy -- test your freedoms to destruction.

Abuse your right to free speech, and you deserve to have it curtailed.