TRI In The News

Civil Liberties Group Goes to Bat for Va. Student

5/24/2011

TRI IN THE NEWS: CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUP GOES TO BAT FOR VA. STUDENT

From The Times Union
Original article available here.

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (AP) — The case of a Virginia high school student who was suspended for six months for shooting small plastic balls through a tube at classmates is headed to a court hearing.

A Circuit Court judge is scheduled to hear Andrew Mikel II's case on Tuesday.

Mikel was punished last December after his projectiles struck three classmates at Spotsylvania High School, where he was a freshman.

His cause was taken up by the Rutherford Institute. The civil liberties group is seeking Mikel's immediate reinstatement to school and the purging of all records related to the suspension.

Rutherford President John Whitehead said the punishment exceeds the offense. He calls it zero-tolerance run amok.

"These are the kinds of things that will follow you for life," he said.

Spotsylvania High School Principal Rusty Davis said the December incident wasn't the first time the 14-year-old had gotten into trouble, according to an e-mail he sent to school officials.

He said the district has an obligation to protect students from others who pose a threat to a safe learning environment.