A student at a middle school in California was suspended in October for wearing face paint resembling eye black to a football game, as reported by CalCoastNews.
The principal of Muirlands Middle School, Jeff Luna, prohibited a student from participating in any sports events for the remainder of the year as a penalty for what was deemed a "hate incident," as per CalCoastNews. In response, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) sent a letter to the school on Thursday, calling for a reversal of both the suspension and the ban, claiming it to be a violation of the First Amendment.
“The complete lack of disruption is unsurprising, as the sight of fans in face paint is familiar to and expected by anyone who has ever attended a football game or other sporting event,” the letter from FIRE stated, noting that “There is no evidence J.A.’s face paint caused a disruption—let alone a material and substantial one—at the football game or at school afterward,” while referring to the student by his initials.
Imagine your kid wearing eye black to a football game.
Now imagine your kid’s eye black getting them suspended and banned from sporting events for “blackface.”
It’s not only ridiculous — it’s unconstitutional.
That's where FIRE throws the flag for roughing the First Amendment. pic.twitter.com/XfuRLzldjT
— FIRE (@TheFIREorg) November 9, 2023
According to CalCoastNews, the father, who chose to remain anonymous, shared a photo of his son sporting face paint akin to that used by football players to reduce sun glare. The student donned this black face paint during a game between La Jolla High School and Morse High School.
The student's father recounted to CalCoastNews, “He had a fun, great night without any trouble.” Following the game, he was summoned to the principal's office where Principal Luna described the face paint as blackface, citing Morse High School's predominantly black student body, as per the father's account to CalCoastNews.
The school then suspended the student for purportedly breaching its hate incidents policy. A suspension notice given to CalCoastNews specifies the reason for discipline as the student having “painted his face black at a football game.”
Luna did not respond immediately for requests for comment from the media.
Trending Political News
'Walmart is Racist!' Woman on Motorized Scooter Gets Dragged Out by Cop
A black woman on a motorized scooter confronted a police officer at her local Walmart recently, telling him to "remove her from the store." When she began throwing Halloween candy and soda bottles at him, he responded by escorting her out. She subsequently accused the officer, who is white, and the store, of racial bias. The incident was captured on video and has since circulated online.
What an eventful visit to Walmart!
Costco Puts a Limit on Purchases After Quickly Selling Out of New Offering
Whenever Costco lists a certain shiny item for sale online, it's said to sell out rapidly. The wholesaler has made gold bars available on its website, allowing Costco members to invest in them.
"I've gotten a couple of calls that people have seen online that we've been selling one-ounce gold bars," Richard Galanti, Costco's chief financial officer, mentioned to investors in the retailer's fourth-quarter earnings call.
Tom Brady Takes Side in Conflict Between Hamas and Israel
Tom Brady has publicly expressed his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, aligning himself with a pro-Israel perspective.
The iconic NFL player, anticipated to be a future Hall of Famer, has aligned his views with 12 other NFL teams, several team owners, presidents, and various athletes regarding the situation in Israel.
Naked Man in Seattle JCPenney Catches a Beat Down
In a suburb of Seattle, police have shed light on a video making rounds on the internet showing a nude man inside a JCPenney outlet.
"The individual depicted in the video was in mental crisis. Shortly after the video shared online ends, the individual had a serious medical emergency which necessitated the need for medics and transportation to the hospital," Tukwila Police Department said on Facebook.
Chipotle Responds to California's New $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage With Bad News to Customers
Executives from Chipotle have indicated that the company will "definitely" adjust its menu prices in response to California's upcoming fast-food minimum wage hike, despite posting strong third-quarter figures.
The new legislation, signed into effect by Governor Gavin Newsom, will see the hourly wages for fast-food employees in California rise to $20 by April 2024. The state's minimum wage currently stands at $15.50, with an expected increase to $16 come January. This is significantly higher than the national minimum wage, which is $7.25.
Woman Fired From Marketing Job After Boss Discovers Her Side Hustle
Yet another incident of an employer letting an employee go upon discovering their involvement in adult content on OnlyFans. This recent case occurred in Australia, just five days after content creator Annie Knight commenced her new marketing position.
At 26, Annie was at home, having taken a sick day, when she was informed through an email that her employment contract had been terminated. The basis for this decision? Her superior had learned about the OnlyFans account she had initiated a few years earlier.