News Story 2

Sophomore Stacy Carol will attend a disciplinary hearing on April 10 due to her refusal to

remove lip piercings during school hours when asked to.

The refusal to remove her lip piercings stems from Carol’s participation in the Church of

Body Modification, an interfacial church that practices ancient and modern body modification rites

as a way of experiencing the divine.

“We don’t worship a tattooed god or anything like that. Our spirituality comes from what we

choose to do to ourselves,” sophomore Stacy Carol said. “You choose how you want to express your

faith.”

Carol will be represented by the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union at her

discipline hearing, and if she loses, they will pursue the issue in court.

“I was grateful when the ACLU agreed to help us,” Stacy’s mother Lareina Carol said. “The

piercing is part of Stacy’s religion. My daughter wants to go to class, but also doesn’t want her First

Amendment rights trampled.

Though Stacy’s religious exemptions are not being pushed forward, there are some who are.

The dress code prohibits hats and headwear, but two Muslim students have exemptions so they can

wear their hijabs.

 “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.”

The comparison of the Church of Body Modification and the Muslim religion is also being

brought to light.

“I don’t think you can compare the Muslim religion to the Church of Body Modification,”

junior Amina Shakuri said. “I don’t have a problem with Stacy’s lip piercing, but comparing her lip

piercing to my hijab is absurd.

The hearing will determine whether or not Carol will be removed from her current school

and sent to an alternative school until she removes the lip jewelry.

“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,” Lareina Carol said. “She want[ed] to stand up for herself and for

that, I am proud.”