A North Carolina school board has agreed to pay $20,000 and issue a public apology to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a high school student who was suspended for using the term “illegal alien” in class.
Christian McGhee, who was 16 at the time of the incident, will receive the monetary compensation along with the removal of all racial bias references from his school record.
The Davidson County Board of Education reached the settlement after more than a year of litigation.
The controversy began in April 2024 when McGhee used the words “illegal alien” during a vocabulary lesson in his English class, as previously reported on by Resist the Mainstream.
School administrators deemed the comment offensive and disrespectful to Hispanic classmates.
McGhee received a three-day suspension for “making a racially insensitive remark that caused a class disturbance.”
The disciplinary action sparked national attention and legal challenges.
When school officials refused to rescind the suspension, the Liberty Justice Center filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the McGhee family.
The legal team argued the suspension violated Christian’s First Amendment rights.
“On Friday, we filed a motion asking the court to approve a settlement that would resolve this matter,” said Dean McGee, senior counsel for educational freedom at the Liberty Justice Center.
“Because Christian is a minor, a court hearing is required before the settlement can become final.”
The proposed settlement requires judicial approval before becoming final.
Court documents show the agreement addresses the racial characterization while maintaining the school’s position on classroom disruption.
The school board acknowledges mischaracterizing the racial bias aspect of the incident, according to the joint statement from all parties.
The board will remove any reference to race or racial bias as a motive from Christian’s educational record.
The $20,000 compensation is intended to help cover costs associated with the private school Christian transferred to following the incident.
The family moved him from the public school system after the suspension controversy, the Carolina Journal (CJ) reported.
Christian’s mother, Leah McGhee, attempted to appeal the suspension through proper channels but received no response from school officials.
The family then pursued federal litigation to challenge the disciplinary action.
The settlement includes a public apology from the school board for mischaracterizing the student in a racially biased manner.
The board maintains that disciplinary action was appropriate due to classroom disruption caused by the comments.
“While the Board maintains that the disciplinary action imposed was appropriate due to class disruption caused by the comments at issue, the Board apologizes for the mischaracterization of racial bias arising from Christian’s comments,” the joint statement reads.
The case attracted additional controversy when board member Ashley Carroll posted Leah McGhee’s substance abuse history from nearly two decades ago online.
The board acknowledged this inappropriate response in the settlement agreement.
“The Board also acknowledges the inappropriate response to this matter by a sitting member. That member has taken accountability for their actions and has privately apologized to the family,” according to the joint statement.
During a school board meeting last year, Leah McGhee directly confronted board members about their handling of the situation.
“Two members of this board, too busy to hear a mother’s cry, yet not too busy to assault her character and one more attempt to hurt her child,” she stated, naming Chairman Alan Beck and Ashley Carroll.
The controversy led to significant changes in the school board composition.
CJ highlighted that fourteen candidates ran for three open seats in the subsequent election, with the sole incumbent being defeated.
The post Remember the Kid Who Was Suspended From High School for Saying ‘Illegal Alien?’ Well, He Just Got a Massive Pay Day appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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