Tennessee Student Gets Suspension Removed From Record After Filing Lawsuit Against Tullahoma School District

Image Credit: FIRE.org

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

Tullahoma City School District is finally clearing a wrongful suspension from a 17-year-old student’s record after a lawsuit was brought against them last month. 

Back in August of 2022, Tullahoma High School’s principal at the time, Jason Quick, suspended the rising high school senior over three memes he had posted to a personal Instagram account, which poked fun at Quick specifically.

In July of this year, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) put out a press release announcing that the law firm would be representing the Tennessee student in a lawsuit against Tullahoma City Schools and two administrators for violations of the First Amendment. 

According to FIRE, “The first meme shows Principal Jason Quick holding a box of vegetables with the caption, ‘My brotha.’ The second depicts Quick as an anime cat with cat ears and whiskers wearing a dress. The third shows Quick’s head superimposed on a hand-drawn cartoon character being hugged by a cartoon bird.”

The memes were not posted during school hours or on school grounds and reportedly did not cause any disruption on-campus.

Referred to as “I.P.” in court documents, the 17-year-old student and his legal team sought injunctive relief against two vague school policies, as well as expungement of the suspension from his record.

The lawsuit also sought that the school district publicly declare that their policies and their suspension of I.P. are violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. 

One policy stated that students were not allowed to post anything “unbecoming of a Wildcat” on social media, and another prohibited students from posting anything that could “discredit, embarrass, or humiliate” other students or staff.

According to FIRE attorney and member of I.P.’s legal team Conor Fitzpatrick, the policies “simply didn’t give students enough information to know what they’re allowed to do and not allowed to do. And that’s where the constitution comes in.”

Now, less than a month later, court papers have been filed that show the school district has changed two student handbook policies challenged by the lawsuit. The district has also cleared the suspension from the high school student’s record.

However, according to court records, the suspension removal is not an admission of wrongdoing or error on the high school’s part.

“We’re glad that the school has taken these corrective actions, but the fight isn’t over,” stated Fitzpatrick. “We won’t rest until the student’s constitutional rights are fully vindicated and the district removes this suspension, and these vague policies, for good.”

According to a representative from FIRE, the Tullahoma student’s suspension has only been cleared for the duration of the lawsuit.

The legal case currently remains open, as I.P. and FIRE seek to permanently lift these school policies and seek monetary damages for the violation of the student’s First Amendment rights.

“America’s teens have First Amendment rights,” stated Fitzpatrick. “They don’t just get to learn about the First Amendment, they get to use the First Amendment. And that means they have every right to express themselves on social media or anywhere else, as long as what they’re doing does not substantially disrupt the school day.”

A spokesperson for Tullahoma City Schools says the district has no comment on the pending litigation.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.