http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=95218
Quote
Home> U.S.
Student Expelled for Casting a Spell
O K L A H O M A C I T Y, Oct. 28
An Oklahoma high school suspended a
15-year-old student after accusing her of casting a magic spell
that caused a teacher to become sick, lawyers for the student
said on Friday.
The American Civil Liberties Union said it had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on behalf of student Brandi Blackbear, charging that the assistant principal of Union Intermediate High School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, suspended her for 15 days last December for supposedly casting a spell.
The suit also charged the Tulsa-area Union Public Schools with repeatedly violating Blackbear's civil rights by seizing notebooks she used to write horror stories and barring her from drawing or wearing signs of the pagan religion Wicca.
"It's hard for me to believe that in the year 2000 I am walking into court to defend my daughter against charges of witchcraft brought by her own school," said Timothy Blackbear, Brandi's father.
'Outlandish Accusations'
Joann Bell, executive director of the ACLU's Oklahoma chapter, said the "outlandish accusations" had made Blackbear's life at school unbearable.
"I, for one, would like to see the so-called evidence this school has that a 15-year-old girl made a grown man sick by casting a magic spell," Bell said.
A lawyer for the school district declined to comment.
(more at link)
I, for one, would be interested to know how she's doing now that she'll be nearly 30.
With further searches, it seems that the story actually is that old.
Still funny though.
Curiously, can't find anything about an outcome.
She obviously turned the judge into a newt and rode off into the sunset on her broomstick. Never trust a wiccan :argh!:
A newt!?
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on January 08, 2014, 01:37:57 PM
A newt!?
:argh!:
Also, lol 20th century.
Twid,
Wiccan well into the 21st century
I need a spell to make my gay intergalactic pony lover resonate her permanently in this dimension.
In general I oppose religious persecution strongly, but when it happens to a Wiccan, it doesn't bug me that much.
Quote from: V3X on January 09, 2014, 03:18:32 AM
In general I oppose religious persecution strongly, but when it happens to a Wiccan, it doesn't bug me that much.
They're getting what they're constantly imagining, so I don't see what the problem is either.
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/HowTo:Become_Wiccan
:golfclap:
Somebody dredged this up to coincide with the Baphomet and Hanuman on the OK state capitol.
:thanks:
Best I can quickly find on a resolution to this case is a TV movie based on the story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Like_Everyone_Else) which suggests that a judge dismissed the charges without trial and ordered the family to pay court fees, which were dropped in return for dropping an appeal of that decision.
JUSTICE!
QuoteStudent loses lawsuit citing Wicca religion
2002-07-20
The Associated Press
TULSA -- A high school student has lost her lawsuit that claimed she was
suspended because of her interest in the Wicca religion.
Brandi Blackbear, a senior- to-be at Union High School, filed her
federal lawsuit in October 2000.
An order Thursday by U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan said neither of
Blackbear's two suspensions in 1999 violated her constitutional rights.
Eagan said Blackbear testified during a deposition that she is not,
never has been and never has wanted to be a Wiccan. The judge also said
Blackbear admitted that the defendants have not kept her from practicing
any religion.
District Superintendent Cathy Burden said the "frivolous lawsuit" cost
the district more than $100,000 in legal fees.
Two of Blackbear's classmates had said they were "fearful" because she
claimed to be a witch and have the power to harm people by casting
spells on them, the order states.
Butler said an appeal is probable and expressed optimism that Blackbear
would prevail.