Harassment Charges Lodged Against School Committee

The ongoing dispute between a parent and members of the Seekonk School Committee has resulted in allegations of harassment.

In a February 8 district court filing, attorney Marc Randazza, who is representing Luis Sousa in his lawsuit against Superintendent Rich Drolet and the School Committee, expressed his opposition to a request for a protective order.

“The Defendants’ allegations are baseless,” Randazza wrote. “Sousa has not engaged in any behavior that could remotely qualify as harassing, intimidating, or threatening. Drolet may have felt annoyed that Sousa was protesting outside his workplace, but voicing negative opinions of a government official without any implication of physical violence or contact does not constitute fighting words.”

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.

For the last few months, Sousa and his wife, Kanessa Lynn, have been protesting outside school buildings. They have held signs which called committee vice-chair Kim Sluter a “(expletive) liar” and for Drolet to be “fired.”

Lynn posted photos of her and Sousa’s protests on Facebook, and the defendants admitted “to stalking her social media”, according to Randazza.

“On December 12, 2022, Lynn posted a video about “how obsessed people in this town had become of me and my family. They’re flying a drone over us to watch us protest outside the school.”

“On December 15, Lynn posted a picture of Sousa protesting outside with a sign that says “FIRE Superintendent DROLET He’s Banning PARENTS.” On December 23, Lynn posted a picture of Sousa protesting while dressed up as the Grinch.”

 “The Defendants’ purpose in filing their Motion is to harass and intimidate Sousa and Lynn from exercising their First Amendment Rights,” Randazza continued. “This is part of a larger pattern by the Defendants to silence their perceived detractors.”

Randazza added Sousa and Lynn has also been the subject of derision while attending School Committee meetings:

“The Committee is no longer enforcing a policy that restricts people from public speaking outside of the time they are recognized during Public Speak. In fact, they are encouraging, endorsing, and ratifying the harassment of their opponents.”

“We have no comment on the specific allegations raised in plaintiff’s opposition to our motion for a protective order,” Sluter said in a statement Monday on behalf of herself, Drolet, and Bridget McNamara, Drolet’s secretary, also named in the filing. “A response, if any, will be made in Court.  As the parties remain in litigation, we have no further comment at this time.”  

Sousa’s suit was filed October 20 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

The complaint alleged 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.

The No Trespass Order was lifted last December and Sousa is now allowed to attend school committee meetings.

“You bullied me, you bullied my (children),” Sousa told Drolet on February 6. “I’m going to say what I want to say because I can.”