A group of moms are suing the Wilson County Board of Education over what they say are violations of their First Amendment rights.
Moms for Liberty – Wilson County, along with Chair Amanda Price and Robin Lemons are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed against the seven-person board on March 9th, 2023, in the United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.
In an interview with The Tennessee Conservative, Lemons said that her goal in filing the lawsuit is to “establish and protect the right to express oneself without fear of censorship, retaliation, or government interference.”
Lemons said, “This can include challenging laws or policies that restrict speech. I want to set a legal precedent and establish important protections for free speech, which can benefit many parents and concerned citizens of Wilson County in the future. Free speech and public discourse are incredibly important and I’m proud to be standing up for these issues.”
Lemons spoke during a school board meeting last fall regarding the mishandling of a sexual misconduct allegation.
According to the lawsuit, Lemons expected her time to speak to be cut short after criticizing the conduct of Wilson County Director of Schools Jeff Luttrell.
The Board’s Chairman, Jamie Farough, stated that Lemons was not allowed to continue because she had declined to disclose her address at the beginning of her remarks, something Lemons chose not to do out of concern for the privacy of herself and her child. While the Chairman reminds each speaker about this rule, it is rarely enforced. According to Lemons, in 2022 there were 45 public comments over 12 meetings, 26 of which never disclosed their address.
