Tell New Mexico, Don't Punish or Humiliate Pregnant Students
New mother Shantelle Hicks told news sources she had to seek help from the ACLU last year when her school kicked her out for being pregnant.
After the ACLU contacted the school, she says she was allowed back only to be humiliated in front of the entire student body. The director and another staff member announced her pregnancy at a school assembly.
Wingate seemed bent on punishing Shantelle one way or another, but the ACLU says it broke the law - in more ways than one.
Not only did the school violate Shantelle's right to equal protection under the law, but it also violated Title IX, which prohibits sex and pregnancy discrimination in education. ACLU is also seeking punitive damages because it believes the school intentionally humiliated Shantelle.
Shantelle's mother wants an apology, and we think they both deserve at least that much.
Tell New Mexico to Stop Punishing Pregnant Students and Apologize to Shantelle and her Mother.
We, the undersigned, question the morals of school officials who would punish or humiliate students trying to do the best they can for their unborn children or otherwise.
If the allegations made in this case are true, we believe those violating Shantelle Hicks' rights have no place in the school system.
If you attempted to shame and humiliate Shantelle for simply trying to do the right thing, you instead shamed yourselves, and that shame should be exposed to an even larger body of people.
We believe you owe Shantelle and her mother an apology.
And we request that you and the State of New Mexico make sure that this discrimination and humiliation doesn't happen again.
Thank you for your attention to these concerns.
