TreesOfLife
Well-Known Member
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31332169/
Team 4: 'Not Guilty' Shirt Gets Penn Hills Student Banned From Graduation
ACLU To Represent David Hood On Harassment Charge
ThePittsburghChannel.Com
updated 14 minutes ago
PENN HILLS, Pa. - THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com
It started as a prom date gone bad, and the war of words between two high school students escalated.
But in the end, it was a T-shirt that landed one of the students in court and prevented him from attending his own high school graduation.
Team 4 investigative reporter Jim Parsons has learned the American Civil Liberties Union has gotten involved. Below is a transcript of Parsons' report.
From the same school district that expelled a student for bringing an eyebrow shaver to class, and where police zapped a student with a Taser over a disagreement about his cell phone, we now have the case of David Hood. He's an honor student who was banned from commencement and charged with harassment over a T-shirt he wore.
More than 400 jubilant Penn Hills High School graduates received their diplomas on Thursday evening, but Hood was not among them.
Hood: "And it was just really sad not to go."
David's problems started back in March, when he and his prom date started arguing over the bill for a limousine.
Hood: "It just escalated with one thing after another."
Parsons: "And then what happened? You broke off the date?"
Hood: "Yeah, we broke it off at lunch and then we got in an argument over it."
David was suspended from school and charged with harassment by Penn Hills police. The judge in the case said he would dismiss the charges if David stayed away from the girl for 30 days.
And on the next school day, David and his twin brother, along with three friends, all wore T-shirts that said "Not Guilty."
Saying the T-shirts were designed to intimidate the girl, Penn Hills police charged all five students with harassment, and school administrators told David he was banned from the prom and graduation.
Mindy Hood, mother: "I'm not justifying David's actions, by any means, and I do believe that he had to have some type of punishment for it, but I do think it was a little bit extreme."
David acknowledges he said some things he shouldn't have, but he believes the decision to ban him from commencement and prom and to charge him with harassment were all because he wore a T-shirt, and the ACLU says that's a violation of his constitutional rights.
Witold Walczak, ACLU: "I mean, he went to court and puts on a T-shirt that says 'Not Guilty.' He's making a point. Just wearing that around -- that's protected speech."
The ACLU says it will likely represent David at his court hearing on the harassment charges and is considering a lawsuit against the school district.
Penn Hills School Board member Erin Vecchio says she supports the decision to ban David from commencement. Vecchio says David caused his own problems by choosing to take the issue further when he wore that T-shirt.
Team 4: 'Not Guilty' Shirt Gets Penn Hills Student Banned From Graduation
ACLU To Represent David Hood On Harassment Charge
ThePittsburghChannel.Com
updated 14 minutes ago
PENN HILLS, Pa. - THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com
It started as a prom date gone bad, and the war of words between two high school students escalated.
But in the end, it was a T-shirt that landed one of the students in court and prevented him from attending his own high school graduation.
Team 4 investigative reporter Jim Parsons has learned the American Civil Liberties Union has gotten involved. Below is a transcript of Parsons' report.
From the same school district that expelled a student for bringing an eyebrow shaver to class, and where police zapped a student with a Taser over a disagreement about his cell phone, we now have the case of David Hood. He's an honor student who was banned from commencement and charged with harassment over a T-shirt he wore.
More than 400 jubilant Penn Hills High School graduates received their diplomas on Thursday evening, but Hood was not among them.
Hood: "And it was just really sad not to go."
David's problems started back in March, when he and his prom date started arguing over the bill for a limousine.
Hood: "It just escalated with one thing after another."
Parsons: "And then what happened? You broke off the date?"
Hood: "Yeah, we broke it off at lunch and then we got in an argument over it."
David was suspended from school and charged with harassment by Penn Hills police. The judge in the case said he would dismiss the charges if David stayed away from the girl for 30 days.
And on the next school day, David and his twin brother, along with three friends, all wore T-shirts that said "Not Guilty."
Saying the T-shirts were designed to intimidate the girl, Penn Hills police charged all five students with harassment, and school administrators told David he was banned from the prom and graduation.
Mindy Hood, mother: "I'm not justifying David's actions, by any means, and I do believe that he had to have some type of punishment for it, but I do think it was a little bit extreme."
David acknowledges he said some things he shouldn't have, but he believes the decision to ban him from commencement and prom and to charge him with harassment were all because he wore a T-shirt, and the ACLU says that's a violation of his constitutional rights.
Witold Walczak, ACLU: "I mean, he went to court and puts on a T-shirt that says 'Not Guilty.' He's making a point. Just wearing that around -- that's protected speech."
The ACLU says it will likely represent David at his court hearing on the harassment charges and is considering a lawsuit against the school district.
Penn Hills School Board member Erin Vecchio says she supports the decision to ban David from commencement. Vecchio says David caused his own problems by choosing to take the issue further when he wore that T-shirt.
