gla joins amicus curiae brief in support of moms for liberty

(Alexandria, Virginia) The Global Liberty Alliance joined leading conservative organizations in a friend of the court brief in support of Moms for Liberty in Moms for Liberty v Brevard Public Schools.  The effort to file the "friend of the court" brief in this matter was led by Advancing American Freedom.

The school board in Brevard County, Florida, has rules that prohibit speakers from mentioning public officials or using language deemed inappropriate. These rules were used to prevent parents from criticizing school board members and officials or reading certain books from the school library during meetings. The Moms for Liberty group and its members filed a lawsuit against the school board for their restrictive rules and their use in this case. The district court sided with the school board, but Moms for Liberty appealed.

The attached friend of the court (amicus curiae) brief was filed today by Advancing American Freedom in the Eleventh Circuit today in support of Moms for Liberty. Close to 15 leading conservative organization joined the effort.  The brief argues that parents have a fundamental right to educate their children and that calling out public officials by name is an essential aspect of the First Amendment's protection of speech.

It also contends that any restriction on naming public officials constitutes a viewpoint-based limitation on speech and is therefore incompatible with the First Amendment. School boards across the nation have sought to avoid criticism of their policies from parents and communities. A victory for Moms for Liberty in this case would be a significant stride toward securing the ability of parents in the Eleventh Circuit to voice pointed criticisms of school officials.