Residents urge bylaw changes and community representation amid lawsuit reports; committee declines comment on legal matter

Several residents raised concerns about committee conduct and recent media coverage related to a lawsuit involving a former district employee during the public comment period on Jan. 13.

Jessica Kudo, speaking as a Freetown resident and the widow of a longtime district teacher, urged immediate bylaw changes so the committee can address “bad behavior” and she called on local elected officials to take action to allow recall or other remedies. Kudo said the district is a regional unit and that both towns should have bylaws enabling the school committee to act on member conduct; she said current public attention could harm recruitment of teachers, superintendents and families.

Resident Antonio Acosta asked whether any policies or mandatory trainings have changed as a result of the lawsuit and requested a written follow‑up explaining any policy changes or planned actions. Acosta also asked the committee to clarify the district’s definition of mandatory reporting; the committee declined to comment on the legal matter and asked to review his questions.

Another unnamed public commenter directed aggressive, unverified allegations at an individual committee member during their three‑minute time slot; the chair asked the speaker to stop and reminded the audience that public comment is not a forum for debate and that the committee could not discuss pending litigation in public.

Why it matters: public trust and committee procedures were the focus of multiple speakers. Committee members reiterated that they cannot comment publicly about ongoing legal matters but said they would review questions and consider procedural or bylaw follow‑up through the appropriate channels.