High school sit-in leads to 34 suspensions
Freedom of expression ran head-on with authority Friday morning at Warren County High School ending with 34 students being suspended for staging a sit-in outside the principal’s office in protest of the school’s dress code.
“It’s a question of individuality. Piercings aren’t affecting their grades,” said Shelly Young, mother of high school Junior Chelcey DeBoard who was among those suspended for three days. “I think they’re more concerned about what they wear than education.”
A school ban on wearing body piercings and/or retainers in the piercings is what led to the sit-in at the beginning of class Friday morning.
“They decided they were going to have a sit-in in my hall and not go to class,” said Principal James Bennett. “We told everyone that didn’t want their parents to be called to go on to class.”
About 50 began the protest with the remaining 34 each getting three-day suspensions after one final warning to get to class.
There were no arrests and no violence as the sit-in and subsequent dissolution of the protest went peacefully.
“The suspension papers said she was suspended for being disruptive, but that’s not true. They all sat quietly and held their signs,” Young said, noting her daughter told her of her intentions in the morning. “I told her to do what she thought was right.”
According to Bennett, the banning of piercing retainers has nothing to do with fashion or individuality but instead is a safety issue.
“There was a student at another school who swallowed a tongue ring and choked,” Bennett said. “If the students don’t like our policy here they should try Wilson County, where it is a lot tougher.”
As for suspensions, Bennett said he is entrusted to keep order at the school.
“We are here to educate students and their refusal to disperse and go to class was disruptive to the educational process,” Bennett said.
The school system stands behind Bennett and Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale said suspensions may run longer next time if the suspended students return Wednesday and again stage a sit-in which delays class.
“We had 34 students, half of them freshmen, who did not go to class but we had 1,801 other students who were there to go to school,” Hale said.
While suspended, Meghan Griffith, 15, along with her boyfriend, Cody Spitnale, 17, both sophomores, who helped organize the sit-in, say the protest is not over.
“They cannot conform us,” Griffith said. “We’re not afraid to stand up to them.”
Griffith, who has a lip piercing, said the sit-in was staged to get the attention of school officials after a petition with over 200 student signatures was raised.
“It was the only way to get Mr. Bennett to listen to us,” Griffith said, noting piercings are a way students express themselves.
While sit-ins are likely not in the near future given the increased punishments, Griffith said the battle is not over when it comes to freedom of expression.