Lawsuit Alleges Suppression of Voices in Brooklyn Parent Board

 

Edited by: TJVNews.com

A contentious legal battle is brewing in Brooklyn as a group of parents has accused an ultra-liberal parent board and the Department of Education of stifling  voices and infringing upon their First Amendment rights. According to a report on Wednesday that appeared in the New York Post, the lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court on Tuesday night, alleges that the Community Education Council 14 (CEC 14) in the Greenpoint and Williamsburg sections of the borough have implemented draconian speech codes and systematically blocked dissenting voices from public events.

The lawsuit was filed by the Institute for Free Speech, a First Amendment think tank. The plaintiffs, including Deborah Alexander, Maud Maron, and Noah Harlan, assert that the actions of CEC 14 and Chancellor David Banks have curtailed free speech and inhibited open debate, as was reported by the Post. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that individuals perceived to hold conservative viewpoints, including members of the group Moms for Liberty, have been targeted and excluded from participating in public meetings and discussions.

“The First Amendment does not allow New York City’s Department of Education to function as a Department of Conformity,” the lawsuit declares, emphasizing the fundamental importance of protecting free speech and ensuring a diversity of viewpoints within public discourse, the Post report explained. The plaintiffs argue that the alleged censorship and suppression of dissenting voices represents a violation of their constitutional rights and undermine the principles of democracy.

Central to the lawsuit is the demand for a court injunction to dismantle the stranglehold that CEC 14 has imposed on public discourse. The Post reported that the lawsuit said that the plaintiffs seek not only the removal of restrictive speech codes but also nominal damages of $17.91 per plaintiff, in addition to attorney fees.

The lawsuit takes aim at CEC 14 president Tahj Sutton and first vice-president Marissa Manzanares, accusing them of fostering an environment hostile to dissenting opinions. The Post report indicated that the court filings reveal allegations of intolerance towards individuals who hold differing viewpoints, with the plaintiffs contending that Sutton and Manzanares have allowed their personal biases to influence their roles within the parent board.

While the lawsuit acknowledges that holding personal beliefs is not inherently unlawful, it contends that the defendants’ actions have crossed the line by carrying their personal attitudes into positions of authority, according to the information provided in the Post report. By alleging that dissenting voices have been systematically silenced and marginalized, the plaintiffs aim to hold CEC 14 and its leadership accountable for a clear cut infringement on their constitutional rights.

 

The lawsuit alleges that Sutton and Manzanares have systematically blocked individuals with opposing views from speaking at public council meetings and have even expelled Deborah Alexander in the past. Additionally, the plaintiffs question the competency of Sutton and Manzanares as leaders, citing their treatment of speakers with differing opinions and their refusal to conduct meetings in person, as was detailed in the Post report. By holding virtual sessions, the lawsuit claims, Sutton and Manzanares exert editorial control over attendees, blocking individuals such as Harlan and Alexander from registering for these public meetings.

Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses CEC 14 of espousing a “strongly anti-Israel worldview” and alleges that criticism of the council’s support for an anti-Israel student walkout resulted in members of the public being cut off and expelled from meetings based on their views, the report in the Post revealed. The council’s “Community Guidelines” are also under scrutiny for containing vague and overbroad rules governing public comment, including prohibitions on “any… forms of oppressive beliefs.”

The plaintiffs further assert that they have been blocked from accessing the parent board’s X account due to their political views, further exacerbating concerns about censorship and discrimination within CEC 14.

In response to the allegations, CEC 14 has remained silent, failing to provide comment or address the accusations leveled against its leadership, as was noted in the Post. The lack of response from the council only serves to deepen concerns about transparency and accountability within the organization.

The lawsuit also sheds light on a series of complaints, known as Chancellor regulation D-210 complaints, which allegedly target individuals who hold conservative viewpoints and seek to remove them from their positions within Community Education Councils (CECs), according to the information contained in the Post report.

Chancellor regulation D-210 grants the DOE authority to investigate CEC members and potentially strip them of their roles, a power that plaintiffs argue has been wielded to suppress dissenting voices and impose ideological conformity, the report in the Post pointed out. The lawsuit alleges that individuals with conservative values have faced harsh consequences for their beliefs, with accusations of orchestrating and promoting a citywide anti-Israel student walkout among the litany of complaints.

One such individual, Maud Maron, a member of CEC 2, has found herself at the center of the controversy. According to the lawsuit, Maron has been targeted with two D-210 complaints, the first stemming from private text messages where she voiced criticism of medical gender transition procedures in children, the report revealed. These messages, revealed in an article, drew condemnation from a DOE spokesperson who deemed them “despicable” and not aligned with the department’s values. Subsequently, Chancellor David Banks allegedly threatened to remove Maron from her position due to her expressed viewpoints.

The second complaint against Maron relates to her denunciation of a Stuyvesant High School student’s anonymous editorial on the Middle East conflict as “revolting Hamas propaganda,” the Post said. Maron’s vocal opposition to biased content in the school newspaper led to further scrutiny and allegations of wrongdoing.

Maron’s involvement in political activism, including a run for the U.S. House to represent New York’s 10th Congressional District and her roles in organizations such as PLACE (Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education) and Moms for Liberty, has further heightened tensions surrounding the allegations, according to the information in the Post report.  While Maron ultimately lost in the Democratic primary for the congressional seat, her continued advocacy for conservative values has made her a lightning rod for controversy within the education community.

At the forefront of their agenda is the fight against COVID safety measures in schools, as well as efforts to ban books and limit discussions on topics related to race and LGBTQ identities, as revealed in the Post report. These initiatives have thrust Moms for Liberty into the national spotlight, with the group attracting media attention for its vocal opposition to a formidable overreach in educational policies.

The controversy surrounding Moms for Liberty and similar groups has intensified with allegations that they have been labeled as “hate groups” by CEC 14, further exacerbating tensions within the education community. Maron, speaking to the Post, expressed alarm at the perceived targeting of parents who challenge the prevailing orthodoxy, lamenting the chilling effect that such investigations can have on public discourse and democratic engagement.

“We should show our children how to engage with those with different ideas, not how to silence them,” Maron asserted, according to the Post, thus highlighting the importance of fostering an environment of open dialogue and respectful debate within educational settings.

Deborah Alexander, a member of the advocacy group PLACE, finds herself under investigation by the DOE for allegedly revealing the school district of her political opponent’s child, Gavin Healy, according to the Post report. While the suit claims that the school district in question was already publicized by the DOE, Alexander’s actions have nevertheless drawn scrutiny from education authorities. Similarly, Noah Harlan, another figure implicated in the lawsuit, has not faced direct investigation but reportedly feels constrained in his speech, wary of potential repercussions.

“The threat of D-210 complaints being filed against them in retaliation for expressing their political views has chilled Plaintiffs’ expression, causing them to alter their public and even private speech,” the lawsuit asserts, as was indicated in the Post report, highlighting the chilling effect that the investigations have had on individuals associated with conservative advocacy.

In response to inquiries from the Post about the allegations, a DOE spokesperson emphasized the department’s commitment to creating safe and welcoming school communities. “Our Community Education Councils are forums for parent voice, and we expect Council members to respect the rights of the parents and students they serve, as well as adhere to applicable laws,” the spokesperson stated, as was mentioned in the Post report.