Dive Brief:
- The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against Declo High School and Cassia County School District, alleging both are responsible for sexual and religious discrimination against a student.
- According to the Times-News, the lawsuit was spurred after the school prohibited senior Sierra Norman from running for student body president last spring.
- While the school argued Norman couldn't run because she had enrolled in too many online dual-credit classes to be qualified as a full-time student, the ACLU says records indicate that Norman was not only a full-time student but that the district received state funding based on the fact that they counted her as a full-time student.
Dive Insight:
According to the Associated Press the ACLU is aiming for a number of things with this case. In addition to a private investigation into the matter, KTVB reports that the ACLU wants a written apology to Norman, a policy revision, and training for school officials on the fair and proper way to treat students. The Times-News also reports that the ACLU's suit alleges Norman's opponent was favored because of his participation in a Church of Latter-Day Saints seminary class.
The fact that the school counted Norman as a full time student to get funding, even though it may not have viewed her as one based on the number of online courses, indicates a disconnect in school funding policy.