Federal lawsuit challenges Middletown BOE public comment disclosure rule
A federal lawsuit seeks to block a Middletown school board rule requiring public speakers to disclose group affiliations before commenting, raising First Amendment concerns as broader disputes continue.
A Middletown resident has filed a federal lawsuit against Christopher Aveta, president of the Middletown Township Board of Education, seeking emergency relief to block what the complaint describes as a requirement that public speakers disclose “group affiliation” before commenting at board meetings.
In filings reviewed by Public Record NJ, the plaintiff argues the disclosure requirement—appearing in meeting agendas and allegedly enforced by the presiding officer—violates the First Amendment. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey as Case No. 3:26-cv-04191.
The lawsuit arrives as disputes over school closures continue to unfold in Middletown. Attorney Roshan Shah also represents a group of parents who have challenged the district’s school-closure plan, linking this case to broader questions about public participation and decision-making at recent board meetings.