KC school district and ACLU settle free-speech case over Ferguson demonstration
The Kansas City Public Schools settled a lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union over the free-speech rights of Lincoln College Preparatory Academy students who had risen in protest over Ferguson during a speech last year by Gov. Jay Nixon, the district announced Monday.
The school district, in the settlement, decided it will not discipline the 13 students. The district is not paying any damages or any of the ACLU’s legal fees, nor did the district say it did anything wrong when it originally planned to have the students serve a Saturday detention.
The students stood and raised their hands in silent protest during Nixon’s speech at the school Nov. 20. The students were protesting the shooting death of Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
The district said the planned punishment was not for rising in protest but because after they did so they refused the direction of an assistant principal to return to their seats and were ultimately escorted out of the auditorium by security.
Two of the 13 students filed the lawsuit, saying their free-speech rights had been violated.
To reach Joe Robertson, call 816-234-4789 or send email to jrobertson@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published March 2, 2015 at 11:52 AM with the headline "KC school district and ACLU settle free-speech case over Ferguson demonstration."