WHOSophomoreStacyCarol

WHATDisciplinaryhearingregardingherlippiercing.
WHENApril10
WHERELeaguetownHighSchool.
WHYBecausethepiercingisagainsttheschooldressbutthecodegoes
againstStacysreligion.
HOWN/A

LEAD:
AdisciplinaryhearingregardingsophomoreStacyCarolslip
piercingwillbeheldonApril10.

5Quotes
1. Idontunderstandwhythedistrictwontdropthis.Ihaveneverbeen
suspended.Infact,Ihaveneverhadareferral.SophomoreStacy
Carolsaid.Wedontworshipatattooedgodoranythinglikethat,our
spiritualitycomesfromwhatwechoosetodotoourselves.Through
bodymodification,wecanchangehowweseeourselvesandtheworld
aroundus.
2. Icannotcommentonthisspecificcaseordiscussanindividual
studentsdisciplineissues.Wecreatedthisdresscodein2009,the
districtsoughtinputfromthestudents,facultyandcommunity
members.SuperintendentParkerGordonsaid.Facialjewelrydidnt
makethecut.Wehaveadresscodeinordertohavedisciplinein
schools.
3. Stacyhasasolidcase.Itisinthebestinterestoftheschooltoallowher
areligiousexemptionfromthedresscode.ACLUlawyerSonia
Stephenssaid.Thedistrictdoesnthavemuchtostandonsinceit
alreadyhastworeligiousexemptionsonfile.
4. PeoplecryFirstAmendmentviolationsallofthetime.Freedomof
religionisabigone.Justbecauseafewpeoplegettogetherandcall
themselvesachurchdoesntmeantheyareachurchintheeyesofthe
law.Constitutionallawyer,JettRamirezsaid.MostAmericanswould

besurprisedtolearnjusthowlittleprotectionoftheFirstAmendment
providesforreligiousfreedomclaimsundercurrentlaw.
5. IdontthinkyoucancomparetheMuslimreligiontotheChurchof
BodyModification.JuniorAminaShakurisaid.Wehavearichand
longhistory.Therearemorethanabillionmuslimsworldwide.Our
beliefsaredocumented.IdonthaveaproblemwithStacyslip
piercing,butcomparingherlippiercingtomyhijabisabsurd.

TRANSITIONS.
1. StacywassuspendedforthreedaysandisInSchoolSuspensionfornine
days.
2. Thedresscodeprohibitsanyfacialpiercingsexceptearsforfemales,
andalsoanyhatsandheadwearwithahijabexemptionfortwomuslim
students.
3. Thechurchsaysithasapproximately3500membersintheU.S.Ithasa
clergy.astatementofbeliefsandaformalprocessofacceptingnew
members.
4. ThelocalACLUagreedtodefendCarolatherdisciplinehearing,andif
shelost,itwouldpursueanissueincourt.
5. TwoMuslimstudentshaveexemptionsfromthedresscodethatallows
themtowearhijabs.

FIRSTDRAFT.
Adisciplinaryhearingregarding,sophomoreStacyCarolslippiercing
willbeheldonApril10becauseitviolatestheschoolsdresscodebutStacy
claimsthelippiercingispartofherreligion.
StacywassuspendedforthreedaysandisinInSchoolSuspensionfor
ninedays.
Idontunderstandwhythedistrictwontdropthis.Ihaveneverbeen
suspended.Infact,Ihaveneverhadareferral.SophomoreStacyCarolsaid.
Wedontworshipatattooedgodoranythinglikethat,ourspiritualitycomes

fromwhatwechoosetodotoourselves.Throughbodymodification,wecan
changehowweseeourselvesandtheworldaroundus.
Thedresscodeprohibitsanyfacialpiercingsexceptearsforfemales,
andalsoanyhatsandheadwearwithahijabexemptionfortwomuslim
students.
Icannotcommentonthisspecificcaseordiscussanindividual
studentsdisciplineissues.Wecreatedthisdresscodein2009,thedistrict
soughtinputfromthestudents,facultyandcommunitymembers.
SuperintendentParkerGordonsaid.Facialjewelrydidntmakethecut.We
haveadresscodeinordertohavedisciplineinschools.
Thechurchsaysithasapproximately3500membersintheU.S.Ithasa
clergy.Astatementofbeliefsandaformalprocessofacceptingnewmembers.
Stacyhasasolidcase.Itisinthebestinterestoftheschooltoallowher
areligiousexemptionfromthedresscode.ACLULawyerSoniaStephens
said.Thedistrictdoesnthavemuchtostandonsinceitalreadyhastwo
religiousexemptionsonfile.
ThelocalACLUagreedtodefendCarolatherdisciplinehearing,andif
shelost,itwouldpursueanissueincourt.
PeoplecryFirstAmendmentviolationsallofthetime.Freedomof
religionisabigone.Justbecauseafewpeoplegettogetherandcall
themselvesachurchdoesntmeantheyareachurchintheeyesofthelaw.
Constitutionallawyer,JettRamirezsaid.MostAmericanswouldbe
surprisedtolearnjusthowlittleprotectionoftheFirstAmendmentprovides
forreligiousfreedomclaimsundercurrentlaw.
TwoMuslimstudentshaveexemptionsfromthedresscodethatallows
themtowearhijabs.
IdontthinkyoucancomparetheMuslimreligiontotheChurchof
BodyModification.JuniorAminaShakurisaid.Wehavearichandlong
history.Therearemorethanabillionmuslimsworldwide.Ourbeliefsare
documented.IdonthaveaproblemwithStacyslippiercing,butcomparing
herlippiercingtomyhijabisabsurd.