Three Georgia students seek to initiate a federal civil rights lawsuit against their local school district for banning clothes that promote Black Lives Matter messaging.
Initiated by the parents Lakeisha Hamilton and Tauretta McCray, the trio suggest that Effingham County School District’s reaction to the promotion of BLM is outrageous.
The lawsuit claimed that the school engaged in a terrible pattern of deliberately ignoring racism-related complaints. The lawsuit also alleges that Effingham County High School and Effingham College & Career Academy’s violated the students’ right to equal protection under the 14th amendment by their supposed unequal treatment.
The students alleged that white students have an unfair advantage over blacks in the school. They also claimed that white students could wear what they wanted without repercussions.
“In one instance, a Black student was refused entry to a football game because she was wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ shirt; and was advised that she could not enter with it on. However, a white student was allowed entry at the very same event with a shirt that read, ‘Stomp on My Flag; I’ll Stomp Your A**.” the lawsuit read.
Other allegations in the suit reported that some students hanged a noose in the football locker room, dressed in Confederate flag attire, with one student appearing similar to Adolf Hitler and a teacher making “overtly racist remarks.”
The details of the suit reveal that the students have requested a trial by jury for the amendment of the school’s dress code. They also call for all forms of discrimination based on political viewpoints to be prohibited.
The school’s superintendent, Yancy Ford, said that no defendants listed in the lawsuit, including the school district itself, have thus far been served a notice. Ford said that once the defendants received the suit, the school would file an appropriate response to the allegations in accordance with the rules and procedures of the court.
However, school administrators in Effingham County have quoted a districtwide policy prohibiting clothing that may contribute to disruption.
