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Hardee student urges board to reconsider expulsion, says peaceful protest led to referrals
Summary
A Hardee High student told the board his friend was expelled after officials found drug residue in a phone case; the speaker said he and peers staged a peaceful protest within handbook rules and were disciplined; Superintendent Bennett offered a private meeting but declined to discuss discipline publicly.
Colin Barnett, a student at Hardee Senior High School, used public comment time on Aug. 28 to contest the expulsion of his friend, Cody Lopez, and to criticize school disciplinary actions. Barnett said Lopez was expelled after authorities found residue in a phone case and that his own group staged a peaceful protest on campus, holding signs that said "Justice for Cody." He said protesters did not interrupt class time and believed their actions were protected by the First Amendment.
"We did not interrupt any class time, any educational time... We were being as peaceful as possible," Barnett said, asking the board to consider reinstating Lopez and removing a disciplinary referral. Barnett also said he and a peer, Regan Crothers, made the signs and that students who held signs were told to surrender them or receive disciplinary action.
Superintendent Bennett thanked Barnett for his courage in speaking but declined to discuss individual student discipline in public session. She offered to meet privately next week with Barnett, Coach Tubbs and district staff to review the matter and said her secretary, Joanne McCray, would schedule the meeting after the board session.
Board members and staff did not resolve the disciplinary question in public; Bennett said the district would examine the incident in a private meeting and report back as appropriate under district procedures.
