Person holding american flag. (kieferpix)
An Indiana mom filed a lawsuit on Friday against an elementary school teacher and principal for allegedly forcing her son to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jamie Porter said her son's first grade teacher removed the boy from class when he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance back in March, according to Fox 59. The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU on behalf of the family, alleged that the boy refused to recite it because he was "protesting" the government.
"He was doing it to protest the government of the United States, as it was racist, greedy and does not care about people," the lawsuit stated.
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After hearing the student's reason, the teacher, Kelly McFarland, then took the student out of the classroom and to the principal's office. Principal Mary Beth Harris was told what happened and the student was taken back to class 20 minutes later, according to the lawsuit. Later in the day, however, Harris took the boy out of class and had him "practice" how to recite the pledge.
"She told him that they were going to 'practice' how to do the Pledge of Allegiance and she made him recite the Pledge with her," the lawsuit alleged.
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The suit adds that the student "was extremely upset at this treatment by his teacher and the principal as he was made to feel that he had done something terribly wrong and was in trouble."
Porter said she and her son are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the incident. She alleged that the teacher and principal violated her son's First Amendment rights.
The school district, Vigo County School Corporation, was not named in the lawsuit. A spokesman for the district said in a statement to Fox News: "We are currently reviewing the complaint with our legal counsel and have been advised not to comment on pending litigation."
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