America First Legal (AFL), a group whose website touts “fighting back against lawless executive actions and the radical left”, has initiated a federal lawsuit against Montgomery County Public Schools and Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight.
According to AFL, the school district violated the first amendment rights of two reporters, Matthew Foldi and Bethany Mandel, when they were not admitted to a Montgomery County Board of Education meeting in June of 2023. According to AFL, MCPS’s actions also went against the Maryland Open Meetings Act by denying access to these reporters.
By holding a meeting limited to invited attendees and prechosen speakers on June 27, 2023, the suit charges the school district prevented the public and the reporters from participating in the open session of the meeting.
AFL further claims reporter Mandel was blocked from an official MCPS X account. Mandel is suing six MCPS teachers in a separate lawsuit for their alleged participation in the social media account.
Following the suit filed by a former Farquhar Middle School teacher in the Principal Beidleman matter, this is the second lawsuit filed against the school district in a month. It raises questions about the impact, both financial and systemic, of MCPS defending their actions.
MCM reached out to MCPS for their response but so far there is no official statement.
