Curtis School, a private school in Los Angeles, is being sued after it expelled a 10-year-old boy for an incident involving rap lyrics and a squirt gun emoji. The fifth grader sent emails to his friend that included lyrics from the song "Murder on My Mind" by YNW Melly, along with a squirt gun emoji. The school took this very seriously and decided to expel him, citing safety concerns.
A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court reveals that a boy and his friend exchanged emails on September 5, sharing lines from YNW Melly's song "Murder on My Mind." The conversation started with the friend sending the lyrics, which included references to violence. The lyrics go like this:
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"Wake up in the morning I got Murder on my mind. A-k 47, Mac 11s, lglocks, and 9s. They be trying to knock me off my grind but I can’t let them do it I got. MURDER ON MY MIND"
Twenty days later, on September 25, during math class, the boy received another email from his friend across the room. He replied with "I hate you" and followed it up with several squirt gun emojis in his messages. He also joked, “You dead yet?”
Following the exchange of squirt gun emoji emails, the boys continued to interact normally, even participating in Curtis School's annual fair at Santa Monica Pier, according to the lawsuit.
However, on September 30, the director of grades three through five took the boy out of class to discuss the "inappropriate" emails. She indicated that she planned to revoke his technology privileges as a punishment.
The next day, though, the head of the school, Meera Ratnesar—who is also mentioned in the lawsuit—called the boy's parents for a meeting and informed them that he was being expelled.
On what basis are the parents suing Curtis School?
The parents of the expelled child took action by sending an email to Meera Ratnesar, the head of Curtis School, expressing their disappointment with the decision.
In the email, included in the lawsuit, they described the punishment as “unreasonable,” especially since the boys were just quoting song lyrics. They highlighted that their son had good grades and no previous disciplinary issues.
The parents pointed out that the other boy involved in the email exchange was not punished or expelled, which they argued showed inconsistency in how the school handled the situation.
They emphasized that their son had never been accused of threatening anyone at school and that the expulsion was unfair given the context of the communications.
The email conveyed their frustration, stating, “We are deeply disappointed by your decision to base expulsion on emails between two classmates who both showed a willingness to talk about guns based on a song’s lyrics.”
The lawyers, Mark M. Hathaway and Jenna E. Parker from Hathaway Parker Law Firm, are arguing that the emails exchanged between the two friends did not break any school rules. They point out that the squirt gun emoji used in the emails is accessible on the Curtis School’s IT system for students.
They also claim that the school’s head, Meera Ratnesar, did not discipline the other boy involved in the email exchange, nor did he face expulsion or being barred from campus. The lawyers assert that the decision to expel their client and prevent him from returning to campus is unreasonable and lacks justification.
As the lawsuit against Curtis School progresses, it is drawing attention from both legal experts and educators.
It highlights the challenges schools face in managing student behavior in a digital age, where communication often includes emojis, memes, and lyrics.
The final decision could help shape how schools find a balance between keeping students safe and respecting their right to free speech.
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