The Jackson, Missouri, school district sued over student suspensions for a year

JACKSON, Mo. (KFVS) – A lawsuit against a Heartland school district alleges a misunderstanding led to a seventh-grader’s lengthy suspension.

The lawsuit, filed by the Freedom Center of Missouri on behalf of the 12-year-old and her mother, focuses on a reported social media threat against Jackson Schools in early 2024.

The incident led to the Jackson R-II School District canceling classes the following day and suspending the student for 180 days, the lawsuit says.

In the lawsuit filed in November, the student’s lawyers argued it was all a misunderstanding.

They allege the student was concerned about a threatening message she saw, recreated it and shared it with another student on Snapchat.

According to the lawsuit, the second student then distributed a screenshot of the message that made it appear as if the 12-year-old from Jackson was the source of the threat.

“Although it quickly became clear to defendants that plaintiff had neither threatened anyone nor asked or intended the other student to spread the message publicly,” the lawsuit states, “defendants determined that they would not harm anyone for the harm it caused.” “Misunderstanding.”

The lawsuit alleges that the school violated the student’s constitutional rights by suspending her over the incident.

“Plaintiff, like every American, has the right to ask questions and share information when attempting to determine whether someone else has threatened violence,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit asks the court to vacate the suspension and remove any disciplinary action related to the incident from the student’s permanent record.

“The district cannot comment on pending litigation or confidential student disciplinary matters,” a spokesperson for the Jackson R-II School District said in a statement to Heartland News. “The district’s top priority is to ensure the safety of students and to take appropriate action when we become aware of safety-related concerns.”

In addition to the school district, the lawsuit also names Jackson’s superintendent and middle school principal as defendants.

They have until later in December to respond to the claims in the lawsuit.

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