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Body Modification

Stacy Carol was suspended for three days for refusing to remove her lip-piercing jewelry, which violated her school's dress code, and faces a disciplinary hearing that could lead to her removal to an alternative school. Stacy and her mother assert that the piercing is a part of their religious beliefs as members of the Church of Body Modification, which practices body modification as a form of spiritual expression. The ACLU has agreed to defend Stacy, claiming her First Amendment rights are at stake, while the school maintains that the dress code was designed with community input.

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57 views2 pages

Body Modification

Stacy Carol was suspended for three days for refusing to remove her lip-piercing jewelry, which violated her school's dress code, and faces a disciplinary hearing that could lead to her removal to an alternative school. Stacy and her mother assert that the piercing is a part of their religious beliefs as members of the Church of Body Modification, which practices body modification as a form of spiritual expression. The ACLU has agreed to defend Stacy, claiming her First Amendment rights are at stake, while the school maintains that the dress code was designed with community input.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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Body Modification

Shreya Rao

Stacy Carol was suspended for three days for refusing to remove her lip-piercing jewelry
which violated the dress code.
On April 10, the school will have a disciplinary hearing to remove Stacy to the alternative school
until she removes the lip jewelry.
I cannot comment on this specific case or discuss an individual students discipline issues,
superintendent Parker Gordon said. When we created this dress code in 2009, the district
sough input from students, faculty and community members. Together, we designed a plan
that was appropriate for our district.
Stacy and her mother, Lareina, belong to the Church of Body Modification. It is an interfaith
church that practices ancient and modern body modification rites as rites of experiencing the
divine.
I dont understand why the district wont 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.
The local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union agreed to defend Stacy at her discipline
hearing and said if she lost, it would pursue the issue in court.
I was grateful when the ACLU agreed to help us, Lareina said. The piercing is part of Stays
religion. My daughter wants to go to class but she also doesnt want her First Amendment
rights trampled. I asked Stacy if she wanted to back down and take out the lip jewelry, but she
believes in our church and in our freedom. She wants to stand up for herself and for that, I am
proud.
The dress code prohibits all facial piercing except ears for females. The dress code also prohibits
hats and headwear, but two Muslim students have exemptions so they can wear their hijabs.
People cry First Amendment violations all of 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 doesnt mean they are a church in the eyes of the law.
The church has a clergy, a statement of beliefs and a formal process for accepting new
members. The church stated that they have approximately 3,500 members in the U.S.
We dont worship a tattooed god or anything like that. Our spirituality comes from what we
choose to do to ourselves, Stacy said. Through body modification, we can change how we see

ourselves and the world around us. Not every member has a facial piercing. You choose how
you want to express our faith.

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