COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The oldsters of a 9th grade South Carolina pupil who mentioned she was once accosted via a instructor for strolling to elegance as an alternative of forestalling and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are suing the instructor, major, faculty district and state training officers.
Marissa Barnwell mentioned she was once strolling quietly to elegance and made up our minds to not prevent for the pledge or a second of silence that adopted. A instructor yelled at her, faced her and driven her in opposition to a wall.
Barnwell was once then despatched to the major’s place of job, which she mentioned was once humiliating as a result of she feared she was once in hassle. The major despatched her again to elegance, however Barnwell mentioned he by no means let her know that the instructor was once incorrect and she or he was once proper.
“I used to be totally and completely disrespected,” Barnwell, 15, mentioned at a information convention Thursday, in keeping with The State newspaper. “Nobody has apologized, no person has said my harm. … The truth that the college is protecting that more or less habits is inconceivable.”
Barnwell’s folks are suing the River Bluff Prime Faculty instructor, the major, Lexington Faculty District 1, and the South Carolina Training Division in federal courtroom, pronouncing they violated the lady’s civil rights and her First Modification rights to each loose speech or to not talk in any respect.
A state regulation handed greater than 30 years in the past calls for public faculties to play the Pledge of Allegiance at a particular time on a daily basis.
However that regulation additionally prohibits punishing someone who refuses to recite the pledge so long as they aren’t disruptive or don’t infringe on others.
“The object that’s gorgeous about The united states is we now have freedoms,” mentioned Tyler Bailey, the circle of relatives’s attorney. “Scholars in our faculties must really feel secure, they must no longer be really feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”
Barnwell mentioned she referred to as her folks in tears they usually mentioned the instructor, major or district by no means answered.
Lexington Faculty District 1 mentioned its lawyer is operating on a reaction to the lawsuit and didn’t have any further remark. River Bluff Prime Faculty’s website online signifies the instructor and major are nonetheless running on the faculty.
“I used to be simply in disbelief,” Barnwell mentioned, including that she informed the instructor, “Get your palms off of me.”