(Joshua Rhett Miller) A Pennsylvania high school sophomore who claims she was suspended for wearing clothing showing her support of President Trump is suing in federal court, alleging the punishment violated her civil rights.
by Joshua Rhett Miller, October, 25th, 2020
Morgan Earnest, a 15-year-old student at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, claims an Oct. 1 policy put into place by administrators barring political speech on masks or other articles of clothing is unconstitutional and infringes on her rights of free speech and due process of law, PennLive.com reported Thursday.
Earnest decided to buck the rules on Oct. 12 by wearing a “Women for Trump” mask and a “Trump 2020 Keep America Great” T-shirt, according to the suit recently filed in US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The teen’s political display caught the attention of school administrators, who told her to flip the mask and shirt inside-out for the rest of the day. She was suspended and sent home when she refused, the filing claims.
“The district’s representatives further communicated that she would be sent home if she ever wore a mask or T-shirt expressing a political viewpoint again,” the lawsuit states.
The district’s policy also barred articles of clothing that depicted Confederate flags, swastikas and Black Lives Matter logos or phrases associated with the social movement, according to Earnest’s suit, which cited the guidelines.
“This action is being taken due to complaints that have been received about such items and how those items have disrupted the education of students within the Mifflin County School District,” the policy stated.
Mifflin County School District Superintendent Jim Estep, meanwhile, pushed back on Earnest’s claims when reached for comment Thursday.Earnest claims she wore the Trump gear to school on two prior occasions this year without incident. She’s seeking unspecified damages, as well as a judge to nullify her suspension and prohibit district officials from enforcing the policy, PennLive.com reported.
“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the complaint, including the veracity of those allegations,” Estep told The Post.
“We stand by our decision, which was made in the interest of safety and to ensure students’ educational environment would not continue to be disrupted. The decision was made after careful consultation with our solicitor and additional special legal counsel.”
Stillness in the Storm Editor: Why did we post this?
The news is important to all people because it is where we come to know new things about the world, which leads to the development of more life goals that lead to life wisdom. The news also serves as a social connection tool, as we tend to relate to those who know about and believe the things we do. With the power of an open truth-seeking mind in hand, the individual can grow wise and the collective can prosper.
– Justin
Not sure how to make sense of this? Want to learn how to discern like a pro? Read this essential guide to discernment, analysis of claims, and understanding the truth in a world of deception: 4 Key Steps of Discernment – Advanced Truth-Seeking Tools.
Stillness in the Storm Editor’s note: Did you find a spelling error or grammatical mistake? Send an email to [email protected], with the error and suggested correction, along with the headline and url. Do you think this article needs an update? Or do you just have some feedback? Send us an email at [email protected]. Thank you for reading.
Source:
Leave a Reply