The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Monday against Kansas City Public Schools over a November protest at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Kansas City, Mo., 14 students at Lincoln Prep were escorted out of an assembly where Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon was speaking.
The students were in the back and held their hands over their heads, a gesture associated with the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Mo.
Gillian Wilcox, lawyer for ALCU of Missouri, says the students were given a Saturday detention.
“Our concern is not the type of punishment but the fact that they’re being punished at all for conduct, expressive conduct, expressive conduct we consider protected by the First Amendment,” Wilcox said.
The suit was filed on behalf of a mother whose daughter was disciplined.
In a statement, the school district says it won’t comment on pending litigation.
The district said it believes the students were reasonably disciplined.
