Education
Candidate for Seekonk School Committee takes to Facebook to address concerns over his past
Luis Sousa, a candidate for Seekonk School Committee, took to his campaign Facebook page this week addressing concerns over his past, which includes substance abuse and jail time:
“Yes, this is me. I’m that guy that protested for almost 7 months fighting for what was right. I’m the guy that was a punching bag when my past was exposed in the Konk Konnect and Seekonk Residents pages for everyone to use and I was never even on Facebook to be able to defend myself. Recently there was an anonymous coward who posted my public records yet again from my past on the Seekonk Residents page. Again, my past is being thrown in my face. Everything was already put online almost 2 years ago by a certain group in town. The same group who likes to “bully the bullies”. When someone keeps throwing your past in your face, I say put your sneakers on and run as far away from those mental cases as you can. Miserable people have nothing better to do than to try to make you feel like crap. Everyone has a past. It’s called that because it’s history. We learn, then we move on. Except for these certain people with the perfect pasts. Some people are so envious of others that they spend their lives obsessing over your life. They look for any trifling bumps in your life to harp on. My past is no secret to people in Seekonk. I have nothing to hide nor am I ashamed of my mistakes because for those mistakes I have grown and become a better man. Yes, I am a recovering alcoholic and recovering drug addict. I had a rough 18 months where drugs and alcohol consumed me, and I did stuff I’m not proud of. I did a year in jail for that. I’ve been clean and sober for 8 years going to AA and NA and I’m damn proud of that. If anyone has ever had a friend or family member who struggled with addiction, then you know it’s a dark path to go down. I was at the bottom of the barrel and even my own brother wouldn’t help me. This group of people are focusing on my past to distract themselves from things they need to work on in their life. Unless my actions directly hurt those who are giving me a hard time, there is no reason for them to be flashing my flaws in my face as they see fit. This is ignorance at its finest and I bet if I went digging into their past I would have quite a bit of ammo myself. They are throwing my past out there yet again in hopes of either turning people’s opinions away from voting for me or causing me to feel self-conscious and revert back to the pathetic person they feel I should be. These practices originate from a narcissist, bully, or from a person that has something to gain in tearing down others. One thing I will never do is go back to that person I was. I am an amazing man and father now. I have two beautiful children and a wife I love dearly. I work my butt off between my full-time job to starting my own bottom painting business to also working on moorings. I’m involved with the PTO and the school committee meetings and now TV9. Yes, I messed up very badly in my past. But I don’t have any desire to make those mistakes again. God has forgiven me. I have forgiven myself and I am moving forward. I’d like to ask the people of Seekonk for a favor. Would you please consider forgiving me too? I want to show everyone that I can do this. I want to show all the people who are throwing my past in my face that I am not that same person. And I want to show everyone that I can be the best school committee member that Seekonk has ever had. If you don’t want to vote for me, fine. But stop throwing my past in my face when I’m trying to better myself.”
Sousa made headlines in 2022 after a member of the school committee, Kim Sluter, called the police on Sousa, saying he was disruptive to a closed door meeting. Seekonk Superintendent Rich Drolet issued a no trespass order against Sousa, which was in place for several months. Eventually, Sousa sued the school district for what he considered violating his First Amendment rights. It is unclear what the outcome of that lawsuit was.
The Seekonk Annual Town Election takes place on Monday, April 1, 2024.
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Brenda Silva
March 9, 2024 at 3:32 pm
The concern of Mr. Sousa running is not because he is a recovered addict but rather the charges of assault and specifically strangulation. He was banned from school committee meetings because of his volatile behavior which has been observed in the past year to include road rage against underaged drivers as well adults. If a person can not volunteer at their own kids school because they are not able to pass a background check, should they be considered for a school committee position?
This article is one sided and made no effort to present any other side.
C. Stephens
March 10, 2024 at 12:51 pm
The fact that Mr.Sousa’s girlfriend regularly mocks and doxxes not only school committee members but also has on numerous, numerous occasions video recorded on her phone townspeople who attend meetings, and then posted them on a public Facebook profile with non stop comments like “she needs Botox” or needs to “stay away from McDonald’s,” or, incredibly, “she can’t get pregnant because her insides are all shriveled up” is the most concerning thing to me. His girlfriend also has made and displayed signs mocking a SC member and the former superintendent including their photos and profanity, and posted them on her car for all to see. How about when she harassed a resident she doesn’t like with poster boards mocking her, outside this person’s place of business, and with Mr. Sousa and their young children have stood on the main road in Seekonk time and time again with these ridiculous insulting signs. I get that she’s not the one running, but please, Mr. Sousa, YOU WERE THERE WITH HER. The fact that you have been involved with this is extremely concerning and speaks volumes about your character and judgments and decision making. And this is all recent, not “in the past.” Are we supposed to believe that with all the confidential and executive session matters that School committee members discuss, that she will not be privy to that? And that you deserve the votes despite your complicity? Good luck to the other candidates in Seekonk, may the best ones win.
Jennifer
March 10, 2024 at 5:52 pm
Yes, to all of this. The behavior that they have displayed these past couple years is outrageous and like nothing I have seen before. The amount of harassment and just plain vileness from Mr. Sousa and his girlfriend, show clearly that he is the the last person who should be making decisions for our schools and children.
Josh Smith
March 10, 2024 at 11:57 am
Aside from Luis being extremely unqualified for the position, he’s mentally unstable and has severe anger issues due to his bipolar which him and his girlfriend Kanessa( Krystle Mastropietro) have spoken about. Jess Machado has been in communication with Kanessa for some time now so this write up helping their extremist cause was expected. It’s amazing that it doesn’t matter to a female that a candidate is a violent felon convicted of domestic strangulation as long as it fits their agenda of an extremist right wing takeover. Aside from Luis attempting to strangle his girlfriend, he’s had many other incidents of rage and violence. Following a car full of teenage boys home recently because they were driving “too slow” for him. He got out of his car, threw his coffee at theirs then confronted them screaming “f*cking fagg*ts.” His girlfriend also posted about an incident of being trailed by a private investigator which with no surprise Luis tried pulling him out of his car and I’m assuming not to shake his hand and say hello. During his 7 months of “protesting” he was having family issues so him and his girlfriend decided to protest at a busy intersection the family member drove through daily holding up poster boards insulting them. And Jess knows fully well what happened with their lawsuit. They settled. Luis DISMISSED both Kim and Rich. He also withdrew his chapter 93A demand letter allowing Kim and Rich the ability to counter sue which hopefully they do. They settled for whatever they could to get out out the lawsuit. It was never about rights being taken away otherwise they would of stayed in the fight. It was about money which they received nothing near what his girlfriend bragged about on social media. I have children in the Seekonk school system and I beg everyone NOT to vote for this severely disturbed individual. And you also get his girlfriend Kanessa Lynn with that package.
richard a cook
March 10, 2024 at 12:37 pm
If Mr Sousa didn’t want his past brought up he shouldn’t be running for any public office position, once you run for something like this your life is an open book. Comes with the territory.
Joe Monteiro
March 11, 2024 at 11:57 am
True to their nature, when they are made aware of these comments which we as Americans are perfectly enabled to say, they will deflect. They will pick on the people commenting, saying things like fake names, fake profiles, or accusing these people of being other people that they will name. It’s what they do. Sorry, but in my mind, you are a public figure once you declare a candidacy. And the two of them have been public figures the past few years because of their ridiculous, childish behavior, but you know what they say, kids crave attention, and if they can’t get good attention, they will accept bad attention. So deflect away. It doesn’t change the facts of who you are.
Mandy
March 12, 2024 at 9:52 pm
Yes ,we all have past and things we have grown from, but not all of our pasts include violent felonies of assault. A CORI, also know. As a background check, is done upon winning a town election and “failing” one means that candidate is limited in the requirements of the job. Mr Sousa would not be able to visit school grounds or any other town official area where it could be deemed he would interact alone with children. This means his past would be a hindrance to this elected position. It is an embarrassment to Seekonk as a whole if a convicted past felon is the best representative for making decisions for our schools. I hope this situation ignites a fire in people to get involved in their town, get out to vote, and consider running for elected seats themself.
Jay
March 25, 2024 at 7:57 am
No – we do NOT need the likes of Mr Sousa on our school board. He makes himself out to be a victim and an advocate. But he is a person with little self control as exhibited by his past conduct at school committee open meetings. And as others posting here, and on various social media platforms have stated, his girlfriend is major problem as well. Mr Sousa needs to understand this has nothing with NA or AA. It has to do with him (and his girlfriend) being major PIA’s. It is moments like this coming Monday – Election Day, where Seekonk will decide what type of town it wishes to be going forward.
Concerned Citizen
March 25, 2024 at 5:20 pm
It’s funny he states he protested for seven months to fight for what’s right then violates federal regulations hundreds of times. Walking neighborhoods and placing flyers on mailboxes is not allowed under domestic mail manual section 508.3.1.3
Seekonk Resident
April 1, 2024 at 1:53 pm
Like all candidates some ideas are well thought out and I can get behind them. Even the alcoholism and drug abuse I am a firm believer of someone getting a second or even third chance. I have see that first hand with my brother, who is still a really good guy who just fell into that downward spiral. It takes a very tough person to escape the clutches of addiction. The other things are what concern me as a parent. My kids attend Seekonk schools and the world is a much different place from when I attended grade school. We have to select candidates that not only speak for us intelligently with our best interests at heart, but also hold themselves accountable for their actions and raise the bar on who we choose to elect going forward. Your goal is to elevate the situation and make it so everyone thinks of you when they think of change and who was in their corner. If I had the time I myself would run as I would absolutely love the opportunity to impact change.