ACLU sues NC school over student's nose piercing
FILE - In a Sept. 15, 2010 file photo, Ariana Iacono, 14, poses for a photograph in Clayton, N.C. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court in Raleigh, NC on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010 on behalf of Iacono, 14, who was suspended from high school over her nose piercing. The lawsuit seeks a court order allowing Iacono to return to Clayton High School immediately. Iacono and her mother belong to a small religious group called the Church of Body Modification. The group believes that piercings, tattoos and other adornments are a way of expressing religious faith. (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)
By Tom BreenAssociated Press Writer / October 6, 2010
Text size – +
RALEIGH, N.C.—The American Civil Liberties Union claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that a North Carolina school violated the constitutional rights of a 14-year-old student by suspending her for wearing a nose piercing.
The lawsuit from the state chapter of the ACLU seeks a court order allowing Ariana Iacono to return immediately to Clayton High School, which has kept her on suspension for four weeks since classes started.
The complaint hinges on Iacono's claim that her nose piercing isn't just a matter of fashion, but an article of faith. She and her mother, Nikki, belong to a small religious group called the Church of Body Modification, which sees tattoos,
LATEST EDUCATION NEWS WIRE UPDATES
- Antioch president pick to visit Ohio campus (AP, 3:28 p.m.)
- Mich. gov candidate says economic plan is specific (AP, 3:09 p.m.)
- Amherst president leaving to head NY library (AP, 1:38 p.m.)
- Commonwealth event on time despite transit strike (AP, 11:09 a.m.)
- ACLU sues NC school over student's nose piercing (AP, 12 p.m.)
LATEST K-12 EDUCATION NEWS
- LA schools, ACLU reach agreement on layoffs (AP, 10:44 a.m.)
- Storms cause flooding in Arizona, Nevada (AP, 10/5/10)
- New NCAA President takes over with full plate (AP, 10/5/10)
- Official: 7 children hurt in school bus accident (AP, 10/5/10)
- Exotic stuffed animals find homes in Maine (AP, 10/5/10)
LATEST HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS
- Louisiana closes FY10 with $108M budget deficit (AP, 10:39 a.m.)
- Amherst College chief chosen to lead New York libraries (Boston Globe, 12:52 a.m.)
- Tenn. election candidates petitioned for pay raise (AP, 10/5/10)
- New study: College savings remains family priority (AP, 10/5/10)
- Big-name companies to help colleges train workers(AP, 10/5/10)