text: Teacher: Lawsuit over her forcible removal seems likely - News - Record-Courier - Kent, OH
  By STACEY PLAISANCE and GERALD HERBERT Associated Press
  Jan 12, 2018 at 3:32 AM Jan 12, 2018 at 7:33 AM
  ABBEVILLE, La. (AP) — A Louisiana teacher ejected from a school board meeting and roughly handcuffed in a video-recorded arrest after she questioned her superintendent's pay raise said she thinks a lawsuit is likely in the case.
  Deyshia Hargrave declined, at first, to say with certainty whether she would file a lawsuit in the matter. "We'll see how it goes," she said when asked again. "But I clearly feel my First Amendment rights were violated, and I feel like, yeah, there will be a lawsuit filed for that."
  About 100 people chanting "Stand by Deyshia" and waving signs heralding free speech gathered in a light rain Thursday night to support Hargrave. Near tears at times, she thanked supporters who stood by her after the arrest and emphasized the need to speak out on important issues.
  "I hope and pray my experience will empower you — my students, young women everywhere — to know that you have a voice," Hargrave told the crowd. "Use it. Many, many women suffered tremendously and sacrificed greatly for us to have this voice. ... And this is for the boys, too. You matter."
  "He needs training," the middle school English teacher said. "Whether he needs to lose his job, I don't know."
  Fontana then declared that her comment wasn't "germane" to the vote on the contract, and banged his gavel in an attempt to silence her. According to school board member Kibbie Pillette, Fontana then beckoned off-camera to the officer, who interrupted Hargrave while she was speaking and ordered her out.
  Asked by the AP on Thursday who's directly to blame for the incident, Hargrave said "Anthony Fontana."
  "He's a very good guy, he's a pastor, respectable citizen here, and is well-respected in the community," Puyau told the AP. "Students and teachers love him."
  "I agree she should not have been arrested," LaSalle said. "Personally, I don't think he would have arrested her if it was up to him."