The school will have a disciplinary hearing to remove

sophomore Stacy Carol to an alternative school on April 10

because she refuses to take off her lip jewelry due to religious
practice.
I dont understand why the district wont drop this, Carol
said. I have never been suspended. In fact, I have never had a
referral. I am a straight-A student.
Carol and her mother, Lareina, belong to the Church of Body
Modification. It is an interfaith church that practices ancient and
modern body modification rites as ways of experiencing the
divine.
Our spirituality comes from what we do to ourselves, Carol
said. Through body modification, we can change how we see
ourselves and the world around us.
The dress code prohibits all facial piercing except ears for
females. Superintendent Parker Gordon said the district sought
input from students, faculty, and community members while
making the dress code in 2009.
Together, we designed a plan that was appropriate for our
district, Gordon said. We have a dress code to have order and
discipline in our schools.
The local chapter of the American Civil LIberties Union
agreed to defend Carol at her discipline hearing and said if she
lost, it would pursue the issue in court.
I was grateful when the ACLU agreed to help us, Carol said.
The piercing was part of Stacys religion.
Ms. Carol says her daughter wants to go to class, but also
doesnt want her First Amendment rights trampled.
I asked Stacy if she wanted to back down and take out the
lip jewelry, but she believes in our church and in our freedom,
Ms. Carol said. She wants to stand up for herself and for that, I
am proud.
Constitutional lawyer Jett Ramirez said the school should
hold its ground on the case.

People cry First Amendment violations all of the time,

Ramirez said. Just because a few people get together and call
themselves a church doesnt mean they are a church in the eyes
of the law.
The school dress code also prohibits hats and headwear, but
two Muslim students have exemptions so they can wear their
hijabs. Junior Amina Shakuri said it is is not possible to compare
the Muslim religion to the Church of Body Modification.
Our beliefs are documented, Shakuri said. I dont have a
problem with Stacys lip piercing, but comparing her lip piercing
to my hijab is absurd.
Sonia Stephens, ACLU lawyer, said Stacy has solid case.
It is the best interest of the school district to allow her a
religious exemption from the dress code, Stephens said. The
district doesnt have much to stand on since it already has two
religious exemptions on file.