Faculty district responds to scholar’s Pledge of Allegiance lawsuit

A South Carolina faculty district mentioned a ninth grader strolling in a hallway was stopped throughout a second of silence and never the Pledge of Allegiance, as the scholar had mentioned in a lawsuit filed final month.

Marissa Barnwell mentioned she was pushed in opposition to the wall by a instructor at River Bluff Excessive Faculty when she didn’t cease to recite the pledge as she walked to class in November, in accordance with her household’s lawsuit.

A lawyer for Lexington Faculty District 1 mentioned movies from the hallway exhibits the instructor touched Barnwell’s shoulder to get her consideration however didn’t push her.

It additionally exhibits the confrontation didn’t happen till after the tip of the Pledge of Allegiance — which state legislation says college students can refuse to recite if they don’t seem to be disruptive — and the beginning of a second of silence.

Barnwell was not silent, arguing with the instructor till she walked away, the district mentioned.

“There can be no prohibition on the college requiring college students to cease doing no matter they’re doing, together with strolling down the corridor, and to stay silent through the second of silence,” faculty district legal professional David Lyon wrote.

Barnwell advised reporters this month she was humiliated and feared she was in bother.

“I used to be fully and completely disrespected,” the 15-year-old mentioned. “Nobody has apologized, nobody has acknowledged my harm.”

The district mentioned whereas the principal did talk about the incident along with her, a full investigation decided neither she nor the instructor ought to face self-discipline.

The district mentioned it reviewed all footage from the hallway and never simply the clip launched by the scholar’s mother and father.

The household’s legal professional and fogeys had been additionally proven all movies.

Police additionally did their very own investigation and didn’t file costs.

Together with the instructor, the teenager’s household is suing the principal, faculty district and state training officers, saying they violated the scholar’s civil rights and her First Modification rights to each free speech or to not communicate in any respect.

In a press release, Lexington Faculty District 1 mentioned each its staff and Barnwell are getting “extraordinarily hateful communication.”

“District leaders strongly condemn this inappropriate habits. We look after all of our college students and staff and remorse that these concerned on this scenario have been the goal of merciless messages,” district officers wrote.