Disciplinary Hearing- Final Draft

Sophomore Stacy Carol has a disciplinary hearing on April 10 to move her to the
alternative school for refusing to remove her lip-piercing jewelry.
The facial jewelry violates the dress code, and they discipline students if they
violate it.
When we created this dress code in 2009, the district sought input from
students, faculty and community members, superintendent Parker Gordon said. We
have a dress code to have order and discipline in our schools.
Stacy and her mother belong to the Church of Body Modification, and the church
practices ancient and modern body modification reites as ways of experiencing the
divine.
We dont worship a tattooed god or anything like that, Carol said. Our
spirituality comes from what we choose to do ourselves. Through body modification,
we can change how we see ourselves and the world around us. Not every member has
facial piercing. You choose how you want to express your faith.
The dress code prohibits facial piercings except for ears and also prohibits hats
and headwear. However, there are two Muslim students who have exemptions so they
can wear their hijabs to school without violating the school dress code.
I dont have a problem with Stacys lip piercing, but comparing her lip piercing to
my hijab is absurd, junior Amina Shakuri said.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has agreed to defend Stacy Carol at
her hearing, but if she lost the hearing they would carry it on into court.
Stacy has a solid case, ACLU lawyer Sonia Stephens said. It is in the best
interest of the school district to allow her a religious exemption from the dress code.
Jett Ramirez believes that religion is huge and that people should be able to
wear what their religion expresses.
Freedom of religion is a big one, constitutional lawyer Jett 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.