Man sues school official over bullying case

A  man claims in a federal lawsuit that his free speech rights were violated when he was removed from a public meeting where he criticized school officials in the case of a 15-year-old South Hadley girl who committed suicide after allegedly being bullied relentlessly.

Luke Gelinas says in his lawsuit Tuesday that then-chairman Edward Boisselle had him improperly ejected from a South Hadley school committee meeting April 14 when he attempted to criticize school officials' handling of the Phoebe Prince case, which has drawn international attention.

Prince, an Irish immigrant, hanged herself at her family's South Hadley home in January. Six students face charges connected to her death.

Gelinas' lawsuit names Boisselle and two town police officers as defendants.

Boisselle has said previously that there was no attempt to infringe on anyone's free speech.