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Iowa Mom Threatened with Lawsuit for Criticizing Curriculum at School Board Meeting
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty ^ | 8/12/2025 | Cory Brewer

Posted on 08/19/2025 10:10:26 AM PDT by simpson96

The News: The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) is representing an Iowa parent with respect to a potential defamation lawsuit after she, a newly naturalized citizen from the Dominican Republic, spoke at a public school board meeting about her concerns regarding certain curricula and instructional materials used in her son’s classroom.

What Happened: Our client, Mrs. Elayne Casalins, first addressed her concerns about the curricula and instructional materials with her son’s teacher, the school principal and the superintendent. She went to the school board because no action was taken after she explained her concerns to the teacher, principal, and superintendent. She then spoke at a June 19, 2025, Belmond-Klemme Community School Board meeting to make objections to the instructional materials used in her son’s classroom and the lack of notice she was given as a parent.

She reported to the school board that a teacher made the students watch the PG-13 movie “Till” without any parental notice or consent — even though many students, including her son, were only 12 years old. She further reported that there was a discussion of Black Lives Matter, racism, and police brutality all without parental notification or consent.

Mrs. Casalins’s comments to the school board were intended to address three issues: (1) in her opinion the curricula she objected to violated Iowa state law (Iowa Code § 279.74), (2) she believed that she was denied her statutory right to object to the curricula and instructional materials, and (3) to object to the materials after the fact under School Board Policy 605.3, and to ask that their future use be reconsidered.

Following her comments, Mrs. Casalins received a threatening letter from Boles Witosky Stewart Law PLLC firm demanding that she “cease-and-desist” any public discussion regarding this matter of public concern, namely controversial curricula and instructional materials used at the Belmond-Klemme Community School. The letter was sent on behalf of the teacher employed by the school district.

Why WILL is Getting Involved: On behalf of Mrs. Casalins, we reject the legal arguments and demands made in the threat to sue her. We believe that the U.S Constitution and Iowa law protect her ability to petition her local school board regarding matters relating to her son’s education. As a parent, she has the right to direct the upbringing and education of her son.

Mrs. Casalins objected to the curricula taught and the instructional materials used in her son’s classroom and told the school board about her concerns. She has made no defamatory statement, and she will not refrain from continuing to object to the curricula and instructional materials she described in her presentation. She will continue to pursue her rights under the Iowa statutes and under School Board Policy 605.3.

The Quotes: WILL Education Counsel, Cory Brewer, stated, “Mrs. Casalins had and continues to have a First Amendment right, and the right under Iowa law, to speak on this critical subject and to petition her government (the school board) for relief. We think it is crucial for parents to be free to direct their children’s upbringing and education and not be prevented from doing so by threats of a claim for defamation.”

WILL Client, Elayne Casalins, stated, “As a new American citizen, I have constitutional rights that make this nation the envy of the world. There is no better place to live your life and raise a family, and we moved to Iowa to live in a state that upholds these fundamental American values. I was shocked to receive such a threatening letter from a law firm representing a public employee, my son’s teacher. But I will continue to tell my story and speak out for my son and the rights of parents across the country.”


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: arth; belmondklemme; boleswitosky; cynthiajensen; dissent; education; freespeech; iowa; jennpeter; prinicipaljensen; sijennpeter
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To: simpson96

We welcome new citizens who pay attention, get involved and watch out for their children.


21 posted on 08/19/2025 10:58:33 AM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Finish the damned WALL! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH! )
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To: simpson96

We need more citizens like her. This smacks of covert DEI teaching! Showing Hollywood movies in class is not education.


22 posted on 08/19/2025 10:59:21 AM PDT by Lopeover (I voted for this! )
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To: allendale

Deprivation of rights under color of law should be prosecuted vigorously.


23 posted on 08/19/2025 11:15:15 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: simpson96

Good for her. Next step, pull your kids out of the crummy school and homeschool. That’s the (new) American way.


24 posted on 08/19/2025 11:21:39 AM PDT by Antoninus (Republicans are all honorable men.)
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To: simpson96

Awesome! Congratulations on your citizenship, Mrs. Casalins, and go get them! More power to you!


25 posted on 08/19/2025 11:35:30 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: George from New England

Yep. Most people just blindly accept evil.


26 posted on 08/19/2025 11:39:43 AM PDT by vpintheak (Screw the ChiComms! America first!)
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To: simpson96

Does anyone know what the movie “Till” is about? PG-13 to me means, it is more like an R rating.


27 posted on 08/19/2025 11:40:46 AM PDT by Glad2bnuts
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To: George from New England

Or another ‘next step’ - run for School Board!


28 posted on 08/19/2025 11:40:53 AM PDT by Twotone ( What's the difference between a politician & a flying pig? The letter "F.")
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To: simpson96
WILL vs Till?

From Rotten Tomatoes - if this is the movie, it appears to be popular and well-reviewed:


29 posted on 08/19/2025 11:42:54 AM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)
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To: Glad2bnuts

Racial discrimination by white people, that happened nearly a century ago. Designed to mold young minds into being second class citizens to blacks. To drive guilt into non blacks souls. Better subject matter for adults only, not children. I figured it out myself.


30 posted on 08/19/2025 11:44:51 AM PDT by Glad2bnuts
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To: Tunehead54

Oops! Forgot the reason for the post.

It appears to be a part of history in the US from a bereft Mom’s point of view with nationwide effects.


31 posted on 08/19/2025 11:46:29 AM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)
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To: George from New England
The other parents were told that “No one else objected” (lie) that they were “required to show this by law” (also a lie) that they “heard his or hers concerns and would bring this up but for now their hands were tied...” (Big whopping lie with pineapple sauce)

She was just the only one who kept pushing.

32 posted on 08/19/2025 11:51:15 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: George from New England

That’s Iowa!


33 posted on 08/19/2025 11:58:41 AM PDT by chopperk
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To: jjotto

Ms. Casalins is a Class Act.


34 posted on 08/19/2025 12:00:09 PM PDT by chopperk
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To: simpson96

She’s getting SLAPPed. A SLAPP is a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. I doubt the school board actually cares whether the potential suit has merit. They just want her to shut up.


35 posted on 08/19/2025 12:00:56 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
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To: Glad2bnuts

Use propaganda to soften up the targeted groups with guilt and shame. That way, when it’s time to round them up and send them to the camps, they will go more willingly.


36 posted on 08/19/2025 12:02:38 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
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To: simpson96

Lawsuit for Criticizing Curriculum at School Board Meeting

WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY OF THAT FREE SPEECH HERE CONRADE.


37 posted on 08/19/2025 12:08:02 PM PDT by Vaduz
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
They use this kind of thing to to intimidate people.

In other words, lawfare.

38 posted on 08/19/2025 1:18:58 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: simpson96

Are there bears in the Dominican republic?


39 posted on 08/19/2025 1:29:52 PM PDT by bunkerhill7 (Don't shoot until you see the whites of their lies)
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To: George from New England

You don’t know that.


40 posted on 08/19/2025 2:09:03 PM PDT by WASCWatch ( WASC)
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