First, a Sunday school teacher and now a licensed electrician have been arrested for refusing to wear masks at school board meetings in New Hampshire.
Nolan Pelletier, who is also the chairman of the NH Libertarian Party, was charged with criminal trespass for refusing to wear a mask at the Timberlane Regional School District Board meeting in Plaistow, New Hampshire, on Nov. 20.
Pelletier was down to be arraigned on Nov. 29 but won a continuance in his case.
In September 2021, six parents with children in the Governor Wentworth Regional School District (GWRSD)—based in Wolfeboro, NH,—were charged with criminal trespass, obstructing government operations, and disorderly conduct for refusing to wear masks at a Sept. 13 school board meeting.
Wolfeboro police, however, chose not to arrest them and issued summons instead.
Just three days before Pelletier’s arrest, Kathleen Bossi, who was arrested back in May for not wearing a mask at a meeting of the same school board, was arraigned on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.
Bossi, who has grandchildren in the district, is now awaiting a trial date.
A video shows police threatening to arrest another man, identified as David Kiley of Atkinson, for trying to enter the building without wearing a mask at the same meeting. However, Kiley, who also has children in Timberlane’s school district, avoided arrest when police shifted their focus to Bossi.
A video shows police handcuffing 57-year-old Bossi at the meeting. She told police they were violating her civil rights.
Pelletier told Pezou he considers his arrest unconstitutional, stating that only the state legislature has the right to enact mandates in New Hampshire.
“Ruling by random rules is a very dangerous road to go down, because there’s no representation,” Pelletier said, “if people don’t see the danger in that then I don’t know what to say.”
Timberlane school board represents NH School District SAU 106, which includes the towns of Atkinson, Plaistow, Sandown, and Danville.
Kiley said at the time of Bossi’s arrest the school board had no mask mandate policy that pertained to the general public.
only policy in place was a mandate for students and faculty members, which he can be heard stating to police on May 20.
district did later adopt a policy, in August, to include visitors in those required to wear a mask on school property.
Prior to Pelletier’s arrest, the school board also issued a memorandum warning anyone who violated the mask requirement that they would be subject to charges of criminal trespass and removal by police.
Bossi said she was overwhelmed by the police presence at the meeting where she was arrested.
Upon her arrival, she said, there were at least nine police cruisers in the parking lot, including two state police vehicles.
Timberlane’s superintendent did not respond to requests for comment.
Video shows that school board chairman Kim Farah stopped the meeting and specifically requested police to charge Pelletier with criminal trespass.
Farah did not respond to requests for comment.
She is one of three Danville, NH, selectmen who walked out of a board meeting in April after people in the audience remained maskless. She was later defeated in a re-bid for her selectman seat by a write-in candidate.
Pelletier had been given the opportunity to sit maskless in “the disability section,” an area that is located a significant distance from the school board. Pelletier said he thinks it ridiculous to ask someone without a disability to sit in such a section.
Kiley said the massive size of the meeting venue also underscores how ridiculous it is to require those in attendance to wear a mask.
school board meetings take place at Timberlane’s Performing Arts Center in Plaistow. 938-seat theatre is the largest school auditorium in the state.
GWRSD school board also meets in the district’s large high school auditorium.
Jessica Williams, one of the Wolfeboro parents who was cited on criminal charges for not wearing a mask, has started a GoFundme campaign to raise money for her and the other parents’ legal fees.
fundraiser has received more than 90 donations totaling $14,000.
SAU49 represents the NH towns of Brookfield, Effingham, New Durham, Ossipee, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro.
Pezou : Another Arrest in NH For Refusing to Wear Mask at School Board Meeting