Dispute on Free Speech Rights Looms Over Lexington School Board Election

Dispute on Free Speech Rights Looms Over Lexington School Board Election

Lexington is buzzing with excitement as the school board election approaches. On Tuesday, residents will cast their votes for four open seats on the popular school board, which is responsible for overseeing 31 schools and a whopping 27,000 students in the heart of Lexington County. Among the nine candidates vying for a position is Dana Homesley, who comes with quite the intriguing, albeit controversial, background due to an ongoing lawsuit against the very board she hopes to join.

A Lawsuit Over Silence

Homesley’s legal battle with *Lexington 1 School District* and its chairperson, Anne Marie Green, began earlier this year after a heated incident at a November 2021 board meeting. Following a significant disagreement over school construction projects, then-board member Jada Garris sent out a critical email to district officials, raising concerns about the management of various projects. When Garris attempted to include this email in the official meeting minutes, she faced opposition and ultimately could not do so.

Fast forward to November 2021—Homesley, who had received Garris’s email through a freedom of information request, aimed to present its contents during the public comment section of the board meeting. However, Anne Marie Green interrupted Homesley, stating, “one of the rules for citizens participation is we don’t talk about staff or students.” This moment of tension led to Homesley being cut off before she could finish her thoughts.

First Amendment Rights at Stake

In her lawsuit, Homesley argues that the content of the email was not an attack on any individual but rather a critique of the board’s performance and decision-making. She claims that her attempt to share this information was protected under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. Her lawyer, Tyler Rody, asserts that the school district’s policy against criticizing district employees during public comments amount to *viewpoint discrimination*, especially since other speakers espousing positive views about staff were allowed to voice their opinions that day.

Homesley is asking the court to declare the district’s policy unconstitutional and is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. In a counter-response from the district, lawyers representing Anne Marie Green assert that she was merely doing her job by enforcing the board’s rules regarding public participation. They also challenge the lawsuit’s validity, citing a statute of limitations argument due to the delay in Homesley’s filing.

Turning the Page on the Election

As the election day nears, local residents are curious about how this lawsuit will influence the voting landscape. Homesley has not yet commented on whether she would pursue her legal battle further should she win a seat on the board. What’s clear, though, is that there is much public interest in both the election and the ramifications of this ongoing legal matter.

With a tumultuous history unfolding just before the election, many in Lexington are gearing up to vote, making their voices heard. The election outcome could potentially bring fresh faces to the board and reshape the dialogue around policies that govern public meetings in the district.

As Lexington prepares for the polling day, it’s evident that voters should keep a close eye on not only who they choose to fill those seats but also how the ongoing challenges regarding *free speech* and transparency within the school board might influence decision-making going forward.