City school board headed to Superior Court over alleged Right to Know violations

Rochester School Board Chair Shane Downs (City of Rochester screenshot)

ROCHESTER - The Rochester School Board and its chairman are being hauled into court next Thursday over alleged violations of New Hampshire's Right to Know law, holding improper nonpublic sessions and the chilling of free speech during public comment.
The lawsuit was brought by Rochester resident Susan Rice, a frequent critic of school board policies following the placement of former Rochester Schools Supt. Annie Azarloza on administrative leave in February and ended up taking a buyout of her two-year contract earlier this week.
Rice also accuses the school board of suppressing free speech rights and policies that shield conflicts of interest with school board chair Shane Downs, who also serves as a patrolman with the Rochester Police Department.
The lawsuit specifically asks the court to:
Enjoin defendants from including chilling language in public comment sections on agendas or at meetings.
Appoint an independent Court Monitor with authority to review the Board's meeting minutes, nonpublic session records, agenda postings, and related documentation to ensure compliance with RSA 91-A and open meeting laws during the pendency of this action.
Enjoin defendants from retaliating against any member of the public or Board members who lawfully exercise their rights to public comment or open meeting participation.
Rice said it wasn't any specific incident that led her to bring legal action, but a steady drumbeat of dissent and frustration with the school board over many of its policies that took an even darker turn following Azarloza's placement on leave.
"I did not file this complaint lightly," Rice told The Rochester Voice on Wednesday. "I was tired of hearing the same stories: people afraid to speak, rumors spreading, parents feeling shut out, and decisions made behind closed doors without transparency or accountability."
The hearing is scheduled next Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 1 at Strafford Superior Court.