The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland has ruled in favor of America First Legal (AFL) in a lawsuit against Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) and its senior administrative officials. The court found that school officials may have violated the First Amendment by blocking users with dissenting viewpoints from the MCPS “Staff Pride” Twitter account.
The lawsuit, filed by AFL in November, came after school officials blocked users from the “Staff Pride” Twitter account and restricted public access to a school board meeting. This followed MCPS's decision to add twenty-two LGBTQ-themed books to the curriculum without providing parents an option to opt out.
The ruling highlights that educators and administrators cannot silence critics and dissenting voices simply because they disagree with their viewpoints. AFL has emphasized its commitment to defending freedom of speech and holding educational institutions accountable to families and communities.
Ian Prior, Senior Advisor at America First Legal, stated: "For far too long, we have seen state actors silencing any debate on the government’s political and ideological orthodoxy. This is especially egregious when those state actors are charged with educating the future leaders of America. It is that kind of suppression of dissent that the First Amendment was designed to prevent, and we are pleased that the Court recognized that with its ruling."