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School silences mom of special needs child, emails show her social media is being monitored
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LIVINGSTON - The Livingston Parish School System is taking extraordinary measures to silence the mother of a special needs child with Down syndrome.
Ashley Kellett was sued last month by the Livingston Parish School Board to block her from putting a device called AngelSense on her daughter. Her daughter Peyton began running away over the holidays, and Kellett said a doctor prescribed it to keep track of her location. The device also allows Kellett to talk to Peyton if she gets away. The school claims it's a recording device and banned it.
In addition to the ban, a restraining order was put in place that prevents Kellett from speaking out about it.
Emails the WBRZ Investigative Unit reviewed at the Livingston Parish School Board office show the school system has also been monitoring what Kellett does online.
"... Any social media posts about the school, the District, me, the teacher, anyone with LPPS need to be copied and saved in a file...," an email shared between Livingston Parish School administrators reads.
The WBRZ Investigative Unit first spoke with Kellett in October 2019 when she said the Livingston School System was not following her daughter's education plan. Kellett demanded that the school enlarge the font size for her daughter.
Superintendent Joe Murphy and the school system's attorneys exited the courthouse Tuesday declining to comment due to the pending litigation. A continuance was granted because Kellett's daughter is sick in the hospital.
Kellett attended the hearing alone and Judge Beth Wolfe said all sides would come back on March 9 to hear the case.
Despite Kellett saying last year, "I'm not going away. I'm not going to shut up. I'm her voice," Tuesday she could not speak on-camera due to the restraining order filed against her.
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