Judge Temporarily Lifts Ban on Sousa

Luis Sousa, who had filed a lawsuit against the Seekonk School Committee and Superintendent Rich Drolet for violating his civil rights, spoke at Monday’s school committee meeting. Last October, Drolet had issued a No Trespass Order to Sousa, a parent of two students at Aitken Elementary School, as a result of incidents at two school committee meetings. A Federal Court judge granted Sousa the right to appear at the meeting.

 “On December 9, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani lifted the one-year ban on Mr. Sousa’s attendance at Seekonk School Committee meetings for one night only – December 19, 2022,” John Davis, the attorney for the school district, wrote.

“Superintendent Dr. Rich Drolet previously issued the ban based on Mr. Sousa’s disruption of two prior School Committee meetings on January 5, 2022, and September 26, 2022,” Davis continued. “In temporarily lifting the ban, Judge Talwani expressed the view that those who address the School Committee should do so in a respectful manner. She also appeared to agree that the School Committee is entitled to remove anyone from a meeting for yelling. Judge Talwani also denied Mr. Sousa’s request that the School Committee should be prohibited from enforcing Rules 2 and 9 of its Public Participation Policy at its meetings. Rule 2 encourages speakers to present their remarks in a respectful manner. Rule 9 states that the public comment portion of School Committee meetings is not a time for debate or responses to comments by the School Committee. To be perfectly clear, Judge Talwani did not rule that either the School Committee or Superintendent violated Mr. Sousa’s rights to free speech.”

 “You only backed down after I sued you,” Sousa told Drolet. “You have cost me untold mental anguish by barring me from being a full participant in my children’s lives. I am going to keep coming here, keep speaking my mind and I am going to keep fighting you because I believe what America stands for.”

The suit was filed October 20 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Sousa is being represented by attorney Marc Randazza, who has offices in Gloucester. The complaint says Drolet and the members of the school committee committed violations of Sousa’s rights under the first and fourteenth amendments, pertaining to free speech and equal protection, along with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Sousa claims he suffers from bipolar disorder.

“Inappropriate behavior at school committee meetings by any adult is unacceptable,” Drolet said following Sousa’s remarks. “Students who voluntarily participate in our meetings should be afforded a safe, welcoming, and positive meeting environment as should all parents, school committee members, and others who attend.”

The meeting can be viewed by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/782892151.