Lawsuit Challenges School Superintendent’s Social Media Censorship
In a landmark case highlighting the intersection of free speech and social media, a lawsuit filed against Smithfield Superintendent Jane Bartz argues that her decision to block certain users from the official @SmithfieldSuper X account violates the First Amendment rights of community member Amanda Mayer. The suit asserts that public officials cannot restrict access based on personal disagreements with users’ opinions, drawing parallels to town hall meeting protocols where all voices are welcome.
Superintendent Bartz acknowledged the pending lawsuit in a statement but refrained from commenting in detail, noting, “We take our responsibility to serve and communicate with our community seriously.” The district remains committed to open dialogue with families and community members.
The ACLU of Rhode Island, which previously litigated a similar case involving Woonsocket’s former mayor, contends that the nature of the social media accounts in question—used for announcing district policies and communicating with constituents—falls squarely within governmental functions, thus necessitating adherence to First Amendment standards.
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration deeming Bartz’s actions unconstitutional, urging an immediate injunction against any further viewpoint-based restrictions on access. Mayer, advocating for the public’s right to engage with district communications, stated, “The school district is doing the wrong thing by restricting access to their accounts.”
David Cass, an ACLU cooperating attorney, emphasized that free access to municipal social media is vital for public discourse, suggesting that censorship stifles democratic engagement. The case raises critical questions about transparency and free speech in the digital age, as it heads to the U.S. District Court in Providence.
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