HardJedi
01-27-05, 12:55 PM
Student suing school over patriotic necklace
District says red, white, blue beads are gang-related
A federal lawsuit is slated to be filed Friday. At issue is whether a Schenectady girl's constitutional rights were violated when school officials asked her to remove a necklace.
Twelve-year-old Raven Furbert insists the beaded necklace shows her support for the troops.School administrators say regardless of what the necklace means, the beads are not allowed.
For Raven, every day is a chance to be patriotic.Her uncle, J.D. Barnes, is serving in Iraq.So she made a red, white and blue beaded necklace to express her patriotism and her support for the troops.
She wore the necklace to Mont Pleasant Middle School on Tuesday until she was told to take it off.
"All they said was [the beads are] gang-related," Raven said.
"I don't get how beads can be gang-related," she added.
Raven's mother, Katie Grzywna, thinks her daughter's rights have been violated.
"In my opinion it's a constitutional issue. Freedom of expression," she said.
That constitutional issue is now at the center of a federal lawsuit Raven's attorney intends to file on Friday.
"If this little girl wants to come here and wear this necklace to show her support for those people then that's an issue I as a civil rights lawyer will fight for," Bob Keach said.
The school's code of conduct states student's jewelry "will be safe, appropriate and not...interfere with the educational process."It also says "students will not wear any clothing deemed to be gang related."
The code of conduct does not explicitly mention beads or beaded necklaces.But school officials say the beads have been affiliated with gangs in the past.So they're not allowed.
"We want to make sure that our students have options to express themselves, but it has to be done in a way that's safe for everyone in the school building," said Shari Greenleaf, the attorney for the city school district.
"It's red, white and blue. The colors of the school are red, white and blue. This is potentially gang-related? What does that mean? It's ridiculous," Keach said.
School officials say the color red is often affiliated with one particular gang, and the color blue is often affiliated with another.
The school would not comment specifically on the lawsuit. It is expected to be filed Friday.
District says red, white, blue beads are gang-related
A federal lawsuit is slated to be filed Friday. At issue is whether a Schenectady girl's constitutional rights were violated when school officials asked her to remove a necklace.
Twelve-year-old Raven Furbert insists the beaded necklace shows her support for the troops.School administrators say regardless of what the necklace means, the beads are not allowed.
For Raven, every day is a chance to be patriotic.Her uncle, J.D. Barnes, is serving in Iraq.So she made a red, white and blue beaded necklace to express her patriotism and her support for the troops.
She wore the necklace to Mont Pleasant Middle School on Tuesday until she was told to take it off.
"All they said was [the beads are] gang-related," Raven said.
"I don't get how beads can be gang-related," she added.
Raven's mother, Katie Grzywna, thinks her daughter's rights have been violated.
"In my opinion it's a constitutional issue. Freedom of expression," she said.
That constitutional issue is now at the center of a federal lawsuit Raven's attorney intends to file on Friday.
"If this little girl wants to come here and wear this necklace to show her support for those people then that's an issue I as a civil rights lawyer will fight for," Bob Keach said.
The school's code of conduct states student's jewelry "will be safe, appropriate and not...interfere with the educational process."It also says "students will not wear any clothing deemed to be gang related."
The code of conduct does not explicitly mention beads or beaded necklaces.But school officials say the beads have been affiliated with gangs in the past.So they're not allowed.
"We want to make sure that our students have options to express themselves, but it has to be done in a way that's safe for everyone in the school building," said Shari Greenleaf, the attorney for the city school district.
"It's red, white and blue. The colors of the school are red, white and blue. This is potentially gang-related? What does that mean? It's ridiculous," Keach said.
School officials say the color red is often affiliated with one particular gang, and the color blue is often affiliated with another.
The school would not comment specifically on the lawsuit. It is expected to be filed Friday.