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Appeals court considers whether parents’ letter to school committee was petitioning activity in anti‑SLAPP dispute
Summary
The panel heard whether a widely copied parental letter about alleged classroom disruptions and safety concerns qualified as protected petitioning activity under anti‑SLAPP principles and whether the authors had a reasonable factual and legal basis to ask school officials to act.
The Appeals Court heard arguments Oct. 10 in a defamation and civil‑rights suit arising from a parents’ group letter sent to school officials and other parents after classroom incidents involving a student with disabilities. The defendants, Mark and Abby Thorell, moved to dismiss under Massachusetts’ anti‑SLAPP framework, arguing the letter was petitioning activity directed to public officials with authority to act.
Plaintiff’s counsel argued the letter went beyond a narrowly targeted request…
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