This case involves Luis Sousa, who was issued a permanent no trespass order by the Superintendent, which banned him from attending Seekonk School Committee meetings and entering Seekonk Public Schools property. This order was based on two incidents, one outside a school committee meeting and the other during a school committee meeting where Sousa was accused of violating public participation policies and causing a disturbance.
Shawn McBreairty is an educational advocate and journalist who resides in Hampden, Maine. Hermon School District brought a claim for declaratory and injunctive relief claiming that Mr. McBreairty engaged in bullying and harassing behavior toward Mallory Cook, a Hermon School Department employee, and that such conduct violates Hermon School Department Board policy and state law.
Berge went to the school superintendent’s office to inquire about tickets to a school play. He was neither rude nor vulgar and held his camera in plain view, announced he was recording, and announced that he was a “citizen journalist” doing a story on the issue. (link to video) Two of the three employees filmed did not wish to be filmed. However, after a lengthy conversation with an official who appeared to have no objection to being filmed, Berge politely left.
