A parent is suing the Grosse Pointe Public School System for allegedly violating his free speech rights.
The federal lawsuit alleges the district wrongly banned him from school property in October 2024, after he posted a video online complaining about a pride flag in his child's middle school. In it, the parent, Gary Pruitt, shows a recording of the flag in a classroom he lists issues he has with it in a voiceover.
According to the complaint, Pruitt entered Parcells Middle School with permission from school staff after the school day ended.
Lawyer David Kallman represents Pruitt. He accused the district of overreacting when it didn’t like what his client had to say.
“He didn’t disrupt any classes, he didn’t film kids. He didn’t do any of that. He just simply showed a truthful video of what was hanging and these flags that he was objecting to,” Kallman said in an interview Tuesday.
In a written statement, Grosse Pointe schools said it was watching out for safety.
"The district prioritizes the safety and welfare of its students and staff and enforces board policies governing access to school buildings. The district is likewise committed to upholding constitutional rights and does not restrict access based on protected speech," Grosse Pointe Superintendent Andrea Tuttle said in the statement.
"Consistent with these obligations, unauthorized entry into classrooms constitutes a violation of board policies and may warrant enforcement action to ensure the safety and security of all individuals on school property,” the statement continued.
An email that the lawsuit alleges the school principal sent to parents regarding the video said it didn’t “contain any threatening content.” Instead, it called the video “political in nature.”
The email said the district was considering the proper follow up. The complaint alleges the school district notified Pruitt of a “no trespass” order a week later.
Kallman said he and his client both tried over the past year to get the order lifted before turning to a lawsuit. He said courts have repeatedly ruled against districts in cases where parents criticize school systems.
“School districts have gotten smacked down for doing this over, and over, and over again. They have no right to retaliate and punish parents for speech that criticizes the school. I mean it's case after case after case. This is such black-letter law. I don’t understand why they feel they can get away with this,” Kallman said.
The lawsuit is pending before the Eastern District of Michigan.
