Sophomore Stacy Carol is scheduled to have a disciplinary hearing in an attempt to remove

her to alternative school on April 10 due to her violation of the dress code and refusal to remove
her lip-piercing.
Stacy and her mother, Lareina Carol, belong to the Church of Body Modification. The church
has approximately 3,500 members in the U.S. and has a clergy, a statement of beliefs and a
formal process for accepting new members. Carol, with help from the American Civil Liberty
Union are taking legal action over this.
I was grateful when the ACLU agreed to help us, Carols mother, Laureina Carol said, The
piercing is a part of Stacys religion. My daughter wants to go to class, but also doesn't want her
First Amendment rights trampled.
Stacy said the district is being unreasonable with this and just wants to return to school while
still being able to practice her religion.
I don't understand why the district won't drop this, Stacy said. I have never been
suspended. In fact, I have never had a referral. I am a straight-A student. I just want to get back
to class. We don't worship a tattooed God or anything like that. Not every member has a facial
piercing. You choose how you want to express your faith.
While some people argue that Stacys First Amendment rights to exercise religion are being
violated, others argue that the district is right with what they are doing.
People cry First Amendment violations all the time, constitutional lawyer Jett Ramirez said.
Freedom of religion is a big one. Just because a few people get together and call themselves a
church doesn't mean they are one in the eyes of law.
Superintendent Parker Gordon said the dress code was made by the district, faculty,
parents, and community members and they all agreed on something that was appropriate.
We have a dress code to have order and discipline in our schools, Gordon said. Imagine
what our schools would be like if we allowed students to wear whatever they liked.
Some students, such as Junior Amina Shakuri, also argue that Stacys way of expressing her
faith is invalid and her getting an exemption would be wrong.
I don't think you can compare the Muslim religion to the Church of Body Modification,
Shakuri said. I don't have a problem with Stacys lip piercing, but comparing her lip piercing to
my hijab is absurd.
Whether Carol gets sent to alternative school for her refusal to remove her piercing or not will
be decided at the hearing, along with what else will happen to Carol in the future for her choices
in her expression of her faith.
Stacy has a solid case, ACLU lawyer Sonia Stephens said. It is in the best interest of the
school district to allow her a religion exemption from the dress code. A court case would be
costly and lengthy. The district doesn't have much to stand on since it already has two religious
exemptions on file. It was be hard pressed to defend that in a court.