A New Jersey mom is suing military officials who deemed her social media post voicing concern over an elementary school’s “polysexual” posters, a “security threat.”
In November, Angela Reading posted on Facebook complaining about “polysexual” posters that had been displayed in her daughter’s elementary school, which led to Lt. Col. Christopher Schilling, a chief commander at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, allegedly deeming her a “security concern,” alerting local police to “monitor the situation,” according to the lawsuit. The Thomas More Society filed the Wednesday lawsuit on behalf of Reading against Schilling, alleging that the police and military officials retaliated against Reading, pressuring her to remove the post. (RELATED: Military Diversity Czar’s ‘Racial Justice’ Books Are In Nearly One-Third Of Pentagon Schools: REPORT)
“When [Reading] expressed her natural parental concern by means of a simple Facebook post about the sexual nature of content on display in an elementary school, Defendants commenced a far-reaching campaign of retaliation against her, enlisting the aid of local, state and federal government agencies,” the lawsuit alleged.
In November, Reading’s 7-year-old daughter asked what “polysexual” meant after attending an elementary school math night, the lawsuit alleged. Schilling allegedly called for an ethics complaint into Reading, who at the time was serving as a member of the Northern Burlington Board of Education, saying she was “stirring up right-wing extremists.”
In an email to parents and school faculty, Schilling allegedly advised them to “keep the pressure” on Reading and asked them to collect “evidence” on her, the lawsuit stated. Using his personal email, Schilling allegedly told the parties that he was “working with the base leadership” who “support” the efforts against Reading.
Lunch monitor Joanna Francis (R) has her iris scanned to unlock the door to let students into the building after lunch recess at New Egypt Elementary School May 1, 2003 in New Egypt, New Jersey. The iris-scanning technology is used to identify employees of the Plumsted District schools and persons authorized to pick up children, but not students. The systems use a video camera to record the colored ring around the eye’s pupil. It is considered a nearly foolproof way of identifying people because markings in the iris are unique to each person and do not change with aging. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)
“The steps taken by Defendants against Mrs. Reading lacked any legitimate purpose,” the lawsuit alleged. “In fact, Defendants continued their actions apace even after they learned of the growing danger to Mrs. Reading that caused her to fear for the physical safety of herself and her family due to the community outrage the Defendants had incited.”
The Thomas More Society and the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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