Two students at a Northern California private high school who were expelled for alleged “blackface” photos will now receive more than $500,000 each after a recent jury verdict.
The students were expelled in June 2020 from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, in Santa Clara County, for photos school officials believed at the time were showing them in “blackface.”
After their parents, on their behalf, filed a lawsuit against the school, it was discovered during a trial they were wearing green acne face masks and the photos were taken in 2017.
In addition to the payout, both will be reimbursed for tuition, which is around $70,000, according to media reports.
According to their attorneys, the photos were mistaken as “blackface” amid “heightened racial tensions” shortly after the death of George Floyd. The students were expelled within 24 hours after school officials became aware of them.
“This case is significant not only for our clients but for its groundbreaking effect on all private high schools in California, which are now legally required to provide fair procedure to students before punishing or expelling them,” said Krista Baughman, a partner at the Dhillon Law Group and one of the attorneys for the students. “The jury rightly confirmed that St. Francis High School’s procedures were unfair to our clients and that the school is not above the law.”
A former California Supreme Court case mandated students at private universities receive fair procedure for disciplinary actions taken against them. Such is now extended to students at private high schools thanks to the recent verdict, according to the students’ attorneys.
Family members for the students said they were thankful for the outcome and that the school would be held responsible.
“We would never wish the pain, humiliation, and suffering St. Francis has inflicted on our families on anyone, but we are thankful that the jury has spoken, and vindicated our boys, and forced St. Francis to finally take responsibility for their repeated personal attacks on the boys,” they said in a statement.
The verdict will ensure students are provided advanced notice of charges against them and a fair chance to respond before being disciplined, attorneys said.
School officials did not immediately return a request for comment.
