Friday, April 19, 2024
Home Tags View

Tag: view

Connecticut parents file lawsuit claiming son expelled over conservative political views

Parents in Connecticut have filed a lawsuit against Cheshire Academy in Connecticut alleging that their son was expelled from the school because of his conservative views. The school has denied that the student, Michael Mancini, was punished because of his political views. “As some of you may be aware, earlier this week, following a fair process, a student was expelled. This student was given a number of chances to adhere to our expectations, and the rules and code of conduct of Cheshire Academy. Contrary to what you may have read, our decision was not based on an opposition to political dialogue," Julie Anderson, head of schools at the academy, wrote in a letter to parents from the school, according to myrecordjournal.com. Mancini's parents have claimed he was expelled for saying that people who are transgender have "legitimate hormonal or mental disorder" and are "just looking for attention," according to myrecordjournal.com. The parents also alleged that classmates began "verbally attacking" Mancini over his opinions. The family's attorney, James Sullivan, told the New York Post that it is "a precious thing to have competing ideas." “We should have a healthy fear of an autocratic, monolithic government or school," Sullivan said. Anderson, the head of schools, said in the letter to parents that the school generally does not publicly discuss cases involving student discipline.

Medical marijuana supporters, opponents offer conflicting views to SC lawmakers

COLUMBIA — When Sam Fogle returned from Iraq after getting hit by a roadside bomb, he suffered from severe brain injuries and severe post-traumatic stress disorder. He said it could do the same for many veterans like him. “I love my state,” Fogle testified Thursday about the Statehouse’s medical marijuana effort. “I don’t want to move out of my state to get the choices others have.” Then there’s Mark Keel, the chief of South Carolina’s Law Enforcement Division. A longtime opponent of legalizing medical marijuana, Keel said he continues to believe that legalizing medical marijuana could lead to a spike in traffic fatalities and other dangerous outcomes, and he said S.C. should maintain its historic independent streak by declining to follow dozens of other states that have legalized medicinal use of the drug. “South Carolina doesn’t have to be like the other 33 states that’s decided to go down that road and conduct social experiments on their citizens,” Keel said. “If you vote yes for this bill... be prepared to open a Pandora’s box of unintended consequences.” The disagreements, reiterated many times in different forms over hours of public testimony Thursday to the Senate’s Medical Affairs Committee, highlighted the ongoing stalemate over whether South Carolina should become the latest state to allow for medical use of cannabis to treat chronic pain, epilepsy and other debilitating conditions. With little to no chance of passing this year, supporters hope the ongoing pressure on the issue can help build momentum heading into the second year of the legislative session in 2020. Many of those who testified have already pleaded with the committee to rule one way or another for years. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Danny Verdin, R-Laurens, suggested that a continued “wait and see” approach to the chance of federal Food and Drug Administration approval may no longer be tenable.