A Warren man has filed complaints against the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee and its hired attorney with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and Rhode Island Bar Association.

Daryl Gould alleges that the school committee’s attorney, Mary Ann Carroll, violated state law when she encouraged the committee’s chairwoman last Monday to cut off his public comment during a full meeting of the school committee. He had called in to the Zoom-based meeting to read a statement critical of a school committee member, Carly Reich of Bristol, who had sarcastically thanked fellow school committee member Victor Cabral for “mansplaining” a matter of procedure at a previous committee meeting.

Last Monday, as Mr. Gould started to read the statement during the public comment portion of the meeting, Ms. Carroll interjected.

“Madame chair, I’m going to ask that we stop this public comment,” Ms. Carroll said. “Public comments are not to in any way criticize members of the school committee. They’re for comments that might have to do with the public.”

Chairwoman Marge McBride agreed and thanked Ms. Carroll for challenging Mr. Gould’s public comment, and his microphone was muted. The exchange lasted less than two minutes.

Ms. Carroll said after Mr. Gould’s feed was cut that Rhode Island General Laws give the school committee the right to stop public comment at any time, and for any reason.

“And if anyone wants to see, I can give you the statute that says that you can stop public comment or limit it at any time,” Ms. Carroll said after the exchange.

Public bodies, like a school committee, are not obligated to hold a public comment session during their meetings. Under the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act, public comment sessions are optional, and they can be limited. However, the Open Meetings Act includes no language that would prevent people from being critical of public officials during a properly advertised and open public forum.

Ms. Carroll did not return a call for comment.