By JEFFREY COLLINS (Associated Press)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The dad and mom of a ninth grade South Carolina pupil who stated she was accosted by a instructor for strolling to class as an alternative of stopping and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are suing the instructor, principal, faculty district and state training officers.
Marissa Barnwell stated she was strolling quietly to class and determined to not cease for the pledge or a second of silence that adopted. A instructor yelled at her, confronted her and pushed her in opposition to a wall.
Barnwell was then despatched to the principal’s workplace, which she stated was humiliating as a result of she feared she was in bother. The principal despatched her again to class, however Barnwell stated he by no means let her know that the instructor was flawed and he or she was proper.
“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell, 15, stated at a information convention Thursday, in line with The State newspaper. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. … The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.”
Barnwell’s dad and mom are suing the River Bluff High School instructor, the principal, Lexington School District 1, and the South Carolina Education Department in federal courtroom, saying they violated the woman’s civil rights and her First Amendment rights to each free speech or to not communicate in any respect.
A state regulation handed greater than 30 years in the past requires public faculties to play the Pledge of Allegiance at a particular time day-after-day.
But that regulation additionally prohibits punishing anybody who refuses to recite the pledge so long as they don’t seem to be disruptive or don’t infringe on others.
“The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms,” stated Tyler Bailey, the household’s lawyer. “Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”
Barnwell stated she known as her dad and mom in tears and so they stated the instructor, principal or district by no means responded.
Lexington School District 1 stated its legal professional is engaged on a response to the lawsuit and didn’t have any further remark. River Bluff High School’s web site signifies the instructor and principal are nonetheless working on the faculty.
“I was just in disbelief,” Barnwell stated, including that she advised the instructor, “Get your hands off of me.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”