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Brevard County School Board can’t enforce public comment policy moving forward

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Parents greet each other ahead of a meeting.

Parents and residents are free to say pretty much anything they’d like at school board meetings in Brevard County after a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Orlando bans the Brevard County School Board from enforcing public comment policies at meetings.

In October, a circuit court judge found the school board’s policy which restricts people from naming board members or using “abusive” or “obscene” speech in public comments was a violation of the First Amendment.

Attorney Brett Nolan is with the Institute for Free Speech. He defended Moms for Liberty Volusia County, the group that brought the initial suit against the schools, and said he applauds the decision.

“Because a really important part of the First Amendment is that people feel comfortable speaking. Like they can go into a situation to speak, and not be worried that they're going to be silenced or censored, or have the police called or something like that,” said Nolan.

Brevard County School Board members spoke about their disappointment with the order at the meeting.

Watch the Brevard County School Board meeting and their comments here:

The Brevard County School District has not yet responded to a request for comment about the ruling.

Nolan said they’re already planning next steps to make sure these actions are permanent.

”The next step in this case, which we indicated in our motion, is to get some kind of long-term injunctive relief against the board to stop this from happening, forever going into the future, not just, over the next couple of weeks,” said Nolan.

The restraining order will remain in effect until at least February 4. The next school board meeting is January 28.

Read the full restraining order here:

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.
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