Schools
Student Sues Teacher Over Pledge Of Allegiance Protest: Lawsuit
A Waterbury student is suing her teacher, alleging she was "mocked and shamed" for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance.
WATERBURY, CT – A Waterbury student is suing her teacher and the local school board after she was allegedly mocked and shamed for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance. The suit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court.
According to the lawsuit, the unnamed 14-year-old student at Waterbury Arts Magnet School remained seated during the pledge, along with a few other students, in Italian language teacher Ralph Belvedere's class on Oct. 3 and other dates in September.
The students did not stand as a “peaceful and non-disruptive expression of their belief that African-Americans suffer from racial discrimination in the United States,” according to the lawsuit.
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The student's attorney, John R. Williams, also wrote in the lawsuit Belvedere allegedly mocked and shamed the protesting students by "thanking and praising the students who have stood while accusing the plaintiff of being 'dishonest' in her expression of belief."
The lawsuit also alleges the student was falsely accused of not doing her classwork, and another teacher was brought into the classroom "to lecture the students on their supposed lack of patriotism."
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Williams wrote in the lawsuit the plaintiff has been frightened and intimidated, and has suffered emotional distress and anxiety as a result of the situation. Also alleged is that the Waterbury Board of Education was made aware of the teacher's actions but "has done nothing to protect the plaintiff."
Williams alleges the defendants "have violated the plaintiff's rights to freedom of speech and expression on matters of public concern." (To sign up for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.)
According to the suit, Williams is seeking an injunction to stop the defendants from allegedly infringing upon the student's exercise of her First Amendment rights, as well as normal damages and fees.
School officials said it is board policy not to comment on legal personnel matters.
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