Family sues school over student’s suspension for ‘blackface’ at football game
California Middle School Faces Lawsuit After Suspending Student for Wearing Black Under-Eye Face Paint
OAN’s Abril Elfi
11:11 AM – Thursday, January 18, 2024
The family of an eighth grade student in California is taking legal action against their son’s principal and superintendent. The student was suspended for wearing black under-eye face paint to a sports game, with school employees accusing him of “blackface.”
On Wednesday, the father of the accused student, Daniel Ameduri, along with their lawyer, appeared on Fox News to discuss their lawsuit against the La Jolla, California, middle school.
“It was a normal day, everything was normal. No one said anything. It was a normal football game and La Jolla won,” J.A. said.
The boy continued by noting that he put black eye paint on like football players do in order to show school spirit while attending a high school game between La Jolla High School and Morse High School.
“I used to go to a lot of football games when I lived in Texas, and I used to play football and sometimes we put that on if one of the kids brought it,” he added.
Ameduri, his father, said that he was in “shock” when he found out that his son had been called into the principal’s office to be reprimanded a couple days after the game.
Reportedly, no nearby spectators had complained about the child’s face paint and there had been no additional incidents that his son was involved in.
“Then, the following Monday, Tuesday, nothing,” he continued. “Wednesday afternoon the principal called J.A. into the office, and the next morning my wife and I showed up and he said, ‘He did blackface,’ and he was suspended for two days and was gonna be banned from sports.”
Ameduri later showed the Muirlands Middle School principal a photo of his son from that night, which he assumed would end the controversy and “vindicate” his son, however, the principal abruptly responded, saying, “No, that’s blackface.”
“Anyone that has ever been to a sports game knows that this is very normal and these are kids that were playing hide and seek a few days prior at my house… half of the group are minorities, some of them African American, it’s just ridiculous that this would be a racial incident,” the father said.
The family’s lawyer, Karin Sweigart, was also present at the interview and explained the lawsuit in greater detail, stating that they are “directly suing the principal and superintendent.”
“We’re suing the principal directly, the superintendent and then the people who made the decision to rubber stamp the principal’s ridiculous decision to suspend J.A.,” Sweigart said. “There was a recent case just in the last couple of years at the Supreme Court where they talked about the out-of-school speech rights that students have to be able to express themselves. It was very clear that unless you have a substantial disruption on the campus, schools cannot restrict the out-of-school speech rights of students,” she added. “Here the school is just going way beyond the constitutional strictures that they have to be able to regulate student speech.”
J.A. maintains that he never intended to offend or harm anyone in any way and his father stated that the school is the one “showing absolute racism right now.”
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What are the implications for schools’ handling of similar situations in the future, depending on the outcome of this lawsuit
California Middle School Faces Lawsuit After Suspending Student for Wearing Black Under-Eye Face Paint
The family of an eighth-grade student in California has decided to take legal action against their son’s principal and superintendent. The student was suspended for wearing black under-eye face paint to a sports game, with school employees accusing him of “blackface.”
The incident occurred at a middle school in La Jolla, California. The student’s father, Daniel Ameduri, along with their lawyer, appeared on Fox News to discuss their lawsuit against the school. The family believes that their son’s suspension was unjust and is seeking compensation for the harm caused.
According to the accused student, the day started off like any other. He wore black under-eye face paint to a high school football game between La Jolla High School and Morse High School, intending to show his school spirit. He explained that this was a common practice among football players and that he had seen it done during his time in Texas, where he used to attend and play in football games.
The father, Ameduri, expressed his shock when he found out that his son had been called into the principal’s office a couple of days after the game. Surprisingly, no nearby spectators had complained about the face paint, and there were no other incidents involving his son. The principal stated that the student had engaged in “blackface” and suspended him for two days, threatening to ban him from sports.
Ameduri presented a photo of his son from that night, hoping to prove that it was not blackface but ordinary face paint used in the spirit of supporting his school. However, the principal dismissed this evidence, insisting that it was indeed blackface.
The family’s lawyer, Karin Sweigart, joined them for the interview and provided more information about the legal action. They are directly suing the principal and superintendent for their role in the suspension. Sweigart emphasized that students have the right to express themselves, even outside of school, as long as it does not cause substantial disruption.
The case raises important questions about the boundaries of freedom of expression among students. It is crucial to ensure that schools strike a balance between maintaining a safe and inclusive environment while respecting students’ rights to express themselves in non-disruptive ways.
The outcome of this lawsuit will not only determine the fate of the accused student but also set a precedent for how schools handle similar situations in the future. Both the accused student and his family deserve a fair resolution that acknowledges their intentions and upholds their rights.
In a society that values freedom of expression, it is vital to educate ourselves and others about the differences between harmless expressions of school spirit and offensive behavior. The controversy surrounding this case serves as an opportunity for schools and communities to engage in productive discussions about cultural sensitivity and tolerance.
Regardless of the outcome, it is our hope that this incident prompts schools to reassess their policies and ensure that disciplinary actions are applied judiciously and with a fair understanding of the context. Every student deserves to feel safe and accepted in their learning environment, and it is our collective responsibility to foster an inclusive atmosphere that encourages individuality and celebrates diversity.
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