Latest news with #DavidsonCountyBoardofEducation
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
North Carolina student who was suspended for saying ‘illegal alien' in class to receive $20K, apology from school in settlement
The family of a North Carolina high school student suspended last year for saying 'illegal alien' in English class has dropped their lawsuit against the district in exchange for a public apology and $20,000. Christian McGhee, 17, received a three-day suspension for using the phrase while discussing word meanings during his English class at Central Davidson High School in Lexington on April 9, 2024. McGhee's mother, Leah, had filed a lawsuit in which she accused the school and the Davidson County Board of Education of violating her son's First Amendment rights. Advertisement 3 Christian McGhee, 17, received a three-day suspension for using the phrase while discussing word meanings during his English class at Central Davidson High School in Lexington on April 9, 2024. Facebook/Leah McGhee However, McGhee's family and the school board settled on Wednesday after a year-long battle in the courts, according to court documents. The board has agreed to remove all references to racial bias in McGhee's school record and issue a public apology 'for the mischaracterization of racial bias' in his record, documents show. Advertisement The board will also provide him with $20,000 in compensation to help his family with the costs of tuition at his new private school, which he was forced to transfer to after being suspended. 'On Friday, we filed a motion asking the court to approve a settlement that would resolve this matter. Because Christian is a minor, a court hearing is required before the settlement can become final,' McGee's lawyer told the Carolina Journal. 'We'll have more to say after that hearing, which is currently scheduled for July 1st. We're pleased to take this important step toward clearing our client's name.' 3 McGhee's mother, Leah, had filed a lawsuit in which she accused the school and the Davidson County Board of Education of violating her son's First Amendment rights. Facebook/Leah McGhee Advertisement When the incident occurred, a teacher gave the teen an assignment that used the word 'alien,' and he asked, 'Like space aliens or illegal aliens without green cards?' A Hispanic student in McGhee's class reportedly 'joked' that he was going to 'kick Christian's ass,' so the teacher escalated the matter to Central Davidson's Assistant Principal Eric Anderson. McGhee's words were deemed offensive and disrespectful to his classmates, prompting Anderson to suspend him. Advertisement According to the suspension documents, Anderson 'declared that his comment was racially motivated,' as stated in the suit. Anderson was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit 'in his individual capacity.' 3 A Hispanic student in McGhee's class reportedly 'joked' that he was going to 'kick Christian's ass,' so the teacher escalated the matter to Central Davidson's Assistant Principal Eric Anderson. Google Maps 'I didn't make a statement directed towards anyone — I asked a question,' McGee told the Carolina Journal last year. 'I wasn't speaking of Hispanics because everyone from other countries needs green cards, and the term 'illegal alien' is an actual term that I hear on the news and can find in the dictionary,' he added. When Leah McGhee attempted to appeal the suspension, school administrators refused to budge. She then hired an attorney from the Liberty Justice Center's Educational Freedom Attorney to help clear her son's name and record. Advertisement Leah appeared on the radio show 'The Pete Kaliner Show' on WBT following the filing of the lawsuit and argued the school wasn't justified in labeling her son as a racist. 'It is a term used as federal code, and it is a term that is heard frequently on many news broadcasts,' She said. 'I feel that if this was handled properly in the classroom, it could have easily been used as a teachable moment for everyone.' Advertisement While the school district and the teen's family have settled, all involved have agreed that the school suspension will remain on Mchee's record 'because there was a class disruption caused by the comments.' The board agreed that the settlement is 'fair, reasonable, and in the best interest of Christian.'
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
High Schooler Suspended for Saying 'Illegal Alien' in Class Wins $20,000
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A North Carolina high school student who was suspended in April 2024 for using the term "illegal alien" during class has secured a $20,000 settlement, a public apology, and the removal of references to racial bias from his school record, according to court documents first obtained by The Carolina Journal. The settlement between the Davidson County Board of Education and the student's family is pending judicial approval in federal court. Newsweek reached out to the lawyer for the student and the school district via email for comment on Wednesday. Why It Matters This case raised national questions about free speech, students' rights, and school discipline policies in the United States. The legal dispute tested the limits of First Amendment protections in educational settings, and the resulting settlement has been cited as a notable development in debates over language, race, and disciplinary practices in public schools. The story has garnered widespread media attention and sparked discussion about the balance between promoting inclusive school environments and safeguarding constitutionally protected speech. What To Know The Davidson County Board of Education agreed to issue a public apology, pay $20,000 in compensation, and expunge all references to racial bias from the student's school records as part of a lawsuit settlement, according to filings with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The $20,000 award is to help defray the cost of the new private school he transferred to following the incident and ongoing litigation, the outlet said. McGhee, then a sophomore at Central Davidson High School in Lexington, North Carolina, was disciplined after using the phrase "illegal alien" in a vocabulary lesson. School administrators cited his remark as "offensive" and "disrespectful to Hispanic classmates," resulting in a three-day suspension for what was classified as a "racially insensitive remark" that disrupted the class, according to the outlet. His family, represented by the Liberty Justice Center, filed a lawsuit against the Davidson County Board of Education and former Assistant Principal Eric Anderson, alleging the suspension violated McGhee's rights to free speech, due process, and access to education. File photo of a blackboard in a schoolhouse at the Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio. File photo of a blackboard in a schoolhouse at the Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio. Getty While the school board maintained the disciplinary action was warranted due to classroom disruption, it agreed in the settlement to acknowledge that its characterization of the incident as racially biased was an error. The board committed to issuing a formal apology and amending the student's record to remove any mention of racial bias, according to the court records. During the yearlong legal dispute, Ashley Carroll, a member of the school board, resigned. Reports indicate this resignation was due to personal reasons unrelated to the case, The Carolina Journal reported. The Liberty Justice Center described the resolution as a step toward clearing McGhee's name and protecting students' constitutional rights. What People Are Saying Dean McGee, senior counsel for educational freedom at the Liberty Justice Center, said in a statement to The Carolina Journal: "On Friday, we filed a motion asking the court to approve a settlement that would resolve this matter. Because Christian is a minor, a court hearing is required before the settlement can become final. We'll have more to say after that hearing, but we're pleased to take this important step toward clearing our client's name." What Happens Next The proposed settlement is pending approval by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Once approved, the Davidson County Board of Education will issue a public apology and clear the student's record of any reference to racial bias, finalizing the terms of the agreement.
