Charlotte, NC-area high school student Gabby Stout was really put through the wringer! Her school allowed students to paint a spirit rock with messages, and Gabby got permission to paint a tribute as long as it didn’t contain profanity or vulgarity. Three days after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, she and two friends painted a heart, an American flag, and the words “FREEDOM 1776” and “LIVE LIKE KIRK – John 11:25” on the rock. Within a few hours, school officials painted over it! But that wasn’t all. The school publicly accused her of vandalism and said they contacted law enforcement to launch a criminal investigation. She was ostracized by classmates and faced online bullying and threats because of the incident. I’m so thankful that
@ADFLegal stepped in to defend Gabby, arguing that her First, Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated. This week Gabby’s case reached a settlement; the school board agreed to adopt a new free speech policy, issue a public statement expressing their regret, and pay $95,000 for damages and legal fees. I hope this will go a long way in preventing other schools from trampling on the rights of other students.