Brielle Penkoski, a Christian student from Tennessee who graduated from Livingston Academy public high school, won a settlement from the school district after standing her ground in 2020.
She had been compelled to change out of a T-shirt bearing the slogan ‘Homosexuality is a Sin’ or face leaving the school grounds. This case has drawn attention to the ongoing struggle to uphold the First Amendment in the United States.
“She wanted to do this alone. She wanted to go there to … express her values like all the other kids do.” “They’ve got kids walking around with the pride symbol on their sneakers and pride clothing, and nobody bats an eye,” said Rich Penkoski, Brielle’s father.
The incident occurred when Brielle chose to wear a shirt to school that stated, “Homosexuality is a Sin — 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.” The biblical passage referenced on the shirt reads, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
The school administration argued that the shirt had a “sexual connotation” message, which was the reason given for Brielle needing to remove it. However, Brielle’s father, a street preacher, highlighted a double standard regarding speech that has a “sexual connotation” at the school.
He pointed out that one of Brielle’s teachers had a gay pride sticker in her classroom, yet his daughter was singled out for expressing her beliefs. The Christian Post provides a different perspective on this issue.
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The settlement agreement, reached in November, involved the board agreeing to pay Brielle Penkoski $100, cover all attorney fees and other costs related to the litigation, and instruct teachers from the 2020 incident to undergo First Amendment training courses.
This outcome signifies a triumph in the ongoing struggle to uphold the First Amendment in a country facing challenges from individuals advocating for certain ideologies.
Rich Penkoski expressed a sense of vindication with the settlement. He clarified that civil rights lawsuits don’t typically result in substantial payments, often just a nominal amount, such as one dollar.
“A lot of people don’t understand this, but when it comes to civil rights lawsuits … there’s this perception that somehow we get paid lots of money for these things. Well, it’s not true. Most of the time, it’s a dollar,” he told the Post.
“But Brielle got $100, which is way more than we thought she was going to get out of this anyway,” he added.
He also highlighted that as part of the resolution, teachers from the 2020 incident were instructed to undergo First Amendment training courses, a condition he insisted on during the settlement process. The school did not have to admit it was wrong formally, but the settlement and the agreement to instruct teachers about the First Amendment likely will remedy the problem in the future.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the First Amendment rights of students in schools across the country. It underscores the need for schools to ensure that they are not infringing upon these rights while also maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all students.
The settlement in this case is a step in the right direction, but it also highlights the ongoing challenges faced in balancing freedom of speech with respect for all individuals.
