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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The parents of a ninth grade South Carolina student who said she was accosted by a teacher for walking to class instead of stopping and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are suing the teacher, principal, school district and state education officials.

Marissa Barnwell said she was walking quietly to class and decided not to stop for the pledge or a moment of silence that followed. A teacher yelled at her, confronted her and pushed her against a wall.

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Barnwell was then sent to the principal’s office, which she said was humiliating because she feared she was in trouble. The principal sent her back to class, but Barnwell said he never let her know that the teacher was wrong and she was right.

“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell, 15, said at a news conference Thursday, according to The State newspaper. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. ... The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.”

Barnwell’s parents are suing the River Bluff High School teacher, the principal, Lexington School District 1, and the South Carolina Education Department in federal court, saying they violated the girl’s civil rights and her First Amendment rights to both free speech or not to speak at all.

A state law passed more than 30 years ago requires public schools to play the Pledge of Allegiance at a specific time every day.

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But that law also prohibits punishing anyone who refuses to recite the pledge as long as they are not disruptive or do not infringe on others.

“The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms,” said Tyler Bailey, the family’s lawyer. “Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”

Barnwell said she called her parents in tears and they said the teacher, principal or district never responded.

Lexington School District 1 said its attorney is working on a response to the lawsuit and didn’t have any additional comment. River Bluff High School’s website indicates the teacher and principal are still working at the school.

“I was just in disbelief,” Barnwell said, adding that she told the teacher, “Get your hands off of me.”

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The parents of a 9th grader in South Carolina are suing after their daughter was allegedly accosted for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance while she was walking to class instead of stopping to recite it.

Marissa Barnwell, the student, said during a news conference on Thursday that she was walking quietly to her class at River Bluff High School in Lexington, South Carolina and decided not to stop walking to recite the pledge or a moment of silence.

A teacher at the school allegedly yelled at her, confronted her, and pushed her against a wall nearby.

“I was just in disbelief,” Barnwell said, recalling that she told the teacher “Get your hands off of me.”

Barnwell, who’s 15 years old, was sent to the principal’s office afterward, which she described as humiliating because she thought she was in trouble.

After the meeting, the principal sent Barnwell back to class, but didn’t let her know that the teacher was wrong for accosting her and pushing her into a wall for not stopping to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell said, according to The State newspaper. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. … The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.”

After the meeting, the principal sent Barnwell back to class, but didn’t let her know that the teacher was wrong for accosting her and pushing her into a wall for not stopping to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell said, according to The State newspaper. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. … The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.”

Barnwell’s parents have filed a lawsuit against the River Bluff High School teacher, principal, Lexington School District 1, as well as the South Carolina Education Department in federal court, stating that their daughter’s First Amendment and civil rights were violated.

The South Carolina legislature passed a law over 30 years ago requiring schools in the state to play the Pledge of Allegiance at a certain time each day, but also prohibits punishment for students who refuse to recite the pledge, given they are not being disruptive.

Tyler Bailey, the family’s attorney, said that students should be able to exercise their constitutional rights.

“The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms,” Bailey said. “Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”

Lexington School District 1 said in a statement that its attorney is writing a response to the lawsuit, but didn’t provide additional comment.

The teacher and principal allegedly involved in the incident are still employed at the school, according to its website.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The parents of a ninth grade South Carolina student who said she was accosted by a teacher for walking to class instead of stopping and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are suing the teacher, principal, school district and state education officials.

Marissa Barnwell said she was walking quietly to class and decided not to stop for the pledge or a moment of silence that followed. A teacher yelled at her, confronted her and pushed her against a wall.

Barnwell was then sent to the principal’s office, which she said was humiliating because she feared she was in trouble. The principal sent her back to class, but Barnwell said he never let her know that the teacher was wrong and she was right.

“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell, 15, said at a news conference Thursday, according to The State newspaper. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. ... The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.”

Barnwell’s parents are suing the River Bluff High School teacher, the principal, Lexington School District 1, and the South Carolina Education Department in federal court, saying they violated the girl’s civil rights and her First Amendment rights to both free speech or not to speak at all.

A state law passed more than 30 years ago requires public schools to play the Pledge of Allegiance at a specific time every day.

But that law also prohibits punishing anyone who refuses to recite the pledge as long as they are not disruptive or do not infringe on others.

“The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms,” said Tyler Bailey, the family’s lawyer. “Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”

Barnwell said she called her parents in tears and they said the teacher, principal or district never responded.

Lexington School District 1 said its attorney is working on a response to the lawsuit and didn’t have any additional comment. River Bluff High School’s website indicates the teacher and principal are still working at the school.

“I was just in disbelief,” Barnwell said, adding that she told the teacher, “Get your hands off of me.”

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

In South Carolina, Marissa Barnwell, a 9th grade student, is filing a lawsuit against a teacher, principal, school district, and state education officials after she was allegedly accosted for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

This case highlights the importance of protecting the civil and constitutional rights of students and of understanding the law that governs the Pledge of Allegiance in South Carolina.

South Carolina Law and the Pledge of Allegiance

South Carolina is one of several states in the US where it is mandatory for the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited in public schools. The law, passed more than 30 years ago, requires the Pledge of Allegiance to be played or recited at a specific time every day. However, the law also states that no one can be punished for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, as long as they are not disruptive or infringing on the rights of others.

Marissa Barnwell’s Case

Marissa Barnwell, a 15 year old, said she was walking to class silently when she decided not to stop for the Pledge of Allegiance or for the moment of silence that followed. She was then confronted by a teacher and pushed against a wall. Barnwell was then sent to the principal’s office, where she felt humiliated because she feared she was in trouble. The principal sent her back to class, but Barnwell said he never let her know that she was in the right and the teacher was in the wrong.

“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” said Barnwell. She believes that the school is defending the teacher’s behavior and that no one has acknowledged her hurt or apologized.

The Legal Implications

Barnwell’s parents are suing the school district, teacher, principal, and state education officials, saying they violated the girl’s civil rights and her First Amendment rights to both free speech or not to speak at all. The family’s lawyer, Tyler Bailey, commented on the situation, saying, “The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms. Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”

The school district said its attorney is working on a response to the lawsuit and did not have any additional comment. The teacher and principal at River Bluff High School are still working at the school.

Conclusion

The case of Marissa Barnwell is a reminder of the importance of protecting the civil and constitutional rights of students. The law in South Carolina is clear that no one can be punished for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, as long as they are not disruptive or infringing on the rights of others.

Everyone should have the right to choose whether to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or not, and no one should be subjected to humiliation, disrespect, or physical force for exercising this right. It is the responsibility of the school district, principal, and teacher to ensure that students feel safe and respected, and that their constitutional rights are respected.

–sources:https://www.wsaz.com/2023/03/10/9th-grader-sues-over-pledge-allegiance-confrontation/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marissa-barnwell-pledge-of-allegiance-lawsuit_n_640ba123e4b01ea51226d419

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/parents-accuse-teacher-shoving-15-year-old-child-not-reciting-pledge-a-rcna74340

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Dwayne Garrick will soon lead a new team of student athletes as the recently selected head football coach of the Aiken High School Hornets.

The highly regarded coach with more than 200 wins over the last 23 years and a reputation for turning around programs throughout the state says he’s been interested in the potential at Aiken High for some time now.

“It’s a spot that I’ve always had my eye on,” Garrick said. “It will take some work. But, with the type of players there and coaches already in place, the program can be very very successful.”

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A diverse group of teachers, players, administrators, and community members served on a hiring committee and conducted nearly a dozen interviews to select the new coach.

“He was the top choice for all of us,” Aiken High School’s Principal Alisa Hamrick shared, “and really stood out to the players.”

Garrick currently serves as Barnwell High School’s head coach.

Throughout his time at Barnwell, he has coached the Warhorses to multiple region and lower state championships, and boasted a perfect regular season record in 2022. Garrick has led the Warhorses as their Head Football Coach for the last eight seasons, although his responsibility for the progression of Barnwell’s football program dates back much further.

He first served the Warhorses as an Assistant Football Coach in 1997, and was promoted to Head Coach and Athletic Director in 1999. He left Barnwell in 2002 for a position as the head football coach and athletic director at Hillcrest High School. He went on to serve in similar capacities at Dorman, Williston-Elko and River Bluff, before returning to Barnwell as the school’s head football coach in 2015.

Garrick attended Presbyterian College, where he studied history. He gained certification as a secondary Social Studies teacher in 1990, as he also pursued a graduate degree at SC State University. While at State, he coached the Bulldogs’ inside and outside linebackers and served as a special assistant to the defensive coordinator.

Among numerous coaching accolades are Region 5 Coach of the Year (2018-2019), CSRA Coach of the Year (2018), South Carolina Football Coaches Association (SCFCA) Class A Upper State Coach of the Year (2010), Class A Division II Coach of the Year, and High School Sports Report (HSSR) Class A Division II Coach of the Year (2009).

He has also been named coach of several post-season teams, including South Carolina’s Head Coach in Border Bowl (2018), North-South All Star Game Head Coach (2018), and Shrine Bowl Assistant Coach (2010).

While Garrick doesn’t officially begin his new role as Aiken coach until June 10, he plans to get started soon for March’s open season.

“Football in high school is a year-round sport,” he shared. “Dedication, commitment, teamwork, all of those things will be big for our players. Athletics will be a stepping stone for these young men as far as life is concerned. We’ll teach those things on the football field that will help them achieve success in their lives.”

The Hornets are buzzing with excitement to welcome Garrick.

“He really seemed like a college coach,” Hamrick commented. “His coaching philosophy and commitment to helping players find success by overcoming obstacles in the sport and in their lives is really impressive.”

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