Controversy
The suspended Sierra then contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, who agreed to take up her cause. The issue was considered settled after a meeting between Sierra, the ACLU, Sierra's mother and Mann, until a meeting of the school's board of education on October 29, the day of Sierra's return to school. The meeting discussed the events of the previous week, and some board members were initially sympathetic to Sierra. However, comments turned hostile towards the end of the meeting, with Sierra being told "his isn't something funny or cute…ou're talking about overthrowing the government", and having her actions characterized as "like you stood up and waved a Japanese flag on Pearl Harbor day". In reference to Sierra, president of the board Bill Raglin asked "hat the hell is wrong with a kid like that?" and board member John Luoni accused Sierra of committing treason. Sierra fled the meeting in tears. The following day, The Charleston Gazette published comments by Mann to the effect that the messages on Sierra's T-shirts included "I hope Afghanistan wins" and "America should burn."; Mann later claimed he had been misquoted, and that he had taken his information from Jacob Reed. Students spat on Sierra's mother's car at Sissonville High, and her friends' parents wouldn't give her rides home from school. Threats, taunting, jeering by her fellow students escalated into physical assaults, and Sierra's mother pulled her out of school; the threats would ultimately cause Sierra to move out of the town. Sierra voiced her belief that people at Sissonville High were permitted to talk about how they felt about certain things, so long as there were others who agreed with them. She denied being anti-American, and that anarchism implies support for terrorism, countering that it is an anti-authoritarian and non-violent philosophy.
As like any war I think it's wrong. I don't believe in fighting and last time I checked war is included. I don't know or have an answer for the war, but I do know that killing people is not right. I think our country is just too lazy to think of another solution. —Sierra in interview with Infoshop.org, December 10, 2001Read more about this topic: Katie Sierra Suspension Controversy
Famous quotes containing the word controversy:
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