A high school student in Pennsylvania decided to cry foul on her school’s prohibition on political speech on masks or other clothing, got herself suspended and has now filed a lawsuit.
Morgan Earnest, 15, a sophomore at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, is suing in federal court on the grounds that her civil rights were violated.
The lawsuit claims that an Oct. 1 policy imposed by administrators barring political speech on worn items is unconstitutional and limits her rights of free speech and due process of law, PennLive.com reported on Oct. 22.
Earnest tested the rule on Oct. 12 by wearing a “Women for Trump” facemask and a “Trump 2020 Keep America Great” shirt, says the suit recently filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Her stunt did not sit well with school administrators, who told her to turn the items inside-out for the rest of the day. She refused and was suspended and sent home, the filing claims.
“The district’s representatives further communicated that she would be sent home if she ever wore a mask or T-shirt expressing a political viewpoint again,” the suit goes on.
Earnest claims she wore the Trump items to school on two other occasions this year without incident. She’s seeking unspecified damages, and for a judge to reverse her suspension and bar school officials from enforcing the policy, PennLive.com reported.
