Officials in a Michigan school accused a Christian student of "laughing" at off-color jokes told by other students and then sharing his religious beliefs in a private conversation. The student, David Stout, was ordered by the school to be placed under suspension for three days. Now, Stout has filed a lawsuit at the federal court in the Western District of Michigan against the school for his punishment.
The Great Lakes Justice Center is representing the Christian student. "My client's religious speech and beliefs should be treated with tolerance and respect," David A. Kallman, senior legal counsel with the Great Lakes Justice Center, argued as per WND.
Kallman said that public schools are not allowed to violate the U.S. Constitution and "enforce a heckler's veto of student speech."
"Nothing David did caused any disruption or problem at the school. He has the right to express his opinion in accordance with his sincerely held religious beliefs, without vilification or punishment from the government for holding to those beliefs," Kellman argued further. Great Lakes Justice Center committed to defending Stout's religious freedom in this case.
The center explained that the three-day suspension imposed on Stout by his school was "for stating his Christian beliefs in a private text conversation and in a hallway at school." The school also punished Stout because he failed to "[police] and [report] other student's inappropriate jokes." Stout was also instructed to refrain from posting his religious comments on all of his social media platforms.
According to the Washington Times, Stout, who is a junior at Plainwell High School in Plainwell, Michigan, was also disciplined by his school for his allegedly offensive behavior shown during a homecoming football game last October. The school alleges that he and other students "booed" during the game, but the center said Stout was not even aware of this occurrence because he was changing from his football gear to his band uniform to play during halftime.
"They had no reason to discipline him at all for anything he did," Kallman argued. "Free speech has its limitations, of course, but none of those apply here."
The lawsuit against Plainwell High school was filed in the U.S. District Court's Western District of Michigan Southern Division and names Plainwell Community Schools, principal Jeremy Wright, assistant principal Deb Beals, and band directors David Hepinstall and Austin Hunt. Stout and his parents seek the reversal of his disciplinary action in his school record, and damages and attorney's fees.
"We have always taught our son to be respectful of everyone's opinion and to be polite to others, as he was here. However, tolerance is a two-way street," the Christian student's father, David J. Stout remarked. "David is entitled to properly express his faith and beliefs without being disciplined and suspended by Plainwell schools. We trust the court will uphold David's constitutional rights and his school record will be cleared."
