On April 10th, there will be a disciplinary hearing to remove Leaguetown sophomore,

Stacy Carol, and place her in an alternative school until she removes her lip-piercing, which is
against Leaguetown ISD’s dress code. A local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has
agreed to defend Carol at her discipline hearing and will pursue her case to court if needed.
“When we created this dress code in 2009, the district sought input from students,
faculty, and community members,” Superintendent Parker Gordon said. “Together, we designed
a plan that was appropriate for our district. Facial jewelry did not make the cut.”
Both Carol and her mother, Lariena, are members of the Church of Body Modification
where they deliberately alter their physical appearance as a way of experiencing the divine.
Two weeks ago, Carol was suspended for three days after refusing to take out her lip-piercing.
She returned to school wearing her lip jewelry and has been in In-School Suspension for the
past nine school days.
“We don’t worship a tattooed god or anything like that,” Stacy said. “Our spirituality
comes from what we do to ourselves. Through body modification, we can change how we see
ourselves and the world around us.”
Stacy and her mother had been looking for a church to join since they moved to
Leaguetown last year. Over winter break, they had joined the Church of Body Modification.
Now, Stacy claims that her First Amendment right to exercise religion is being violated and has
entrusted an ACLU lawyer, to defend her at her hearing.
“Just because a few people come together and call themselves a church doesn’t mean
they are a church in the eyes of the law,” constitutional lawyer, Jett Ramirez, said. “The school
district should hold its ground. I believe the courts will see the obscurity in this.”
Stacy’s lawyer, Sonia Stephens, thinks that they have a solid case to present; though, a
court case could be costly and lengthy. However, Stephens also believes that the district will
have a hard time defending the fact that they already have two exemptions to the dress code for
Muslim students who wear hijabs regardless of the dress code prohibiting hats and headwear.
“I don’t think you can compare the Muslim religion to the Church of Body Modification,”
junior at Leaguetown High School, Amina Shakuri, said. “I don’t have a problem with Stacy’s lip
piercing, but comparing her lip piercing to my hijab is absurd.”
Both Stacy and Lariena are thankful for the ACLU lawyer who agreed to help them.
Lariena had previously asked Stacy if she wanted to back down and remove the piercing;
though giving up was not on Stacy’s agenda.
“She wants to stand up for herself and for that, I’m proud,” Lariena said.