EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — A Cajon Valley Union School District student is at risk of being expelled after posting on social media following a fight with another student.
But her parents are pushing back. They said it was done outside of school and that expulsion would violate her right to free speech.
On Friday, the school district held an expulsion hearing for Kyra Ludwig.
Kyra Ludwig was initially suspended from Los Coches Creek Middle School on Dec. 4 after getting into a fight with another student.
She was suspended again on Jan. 12 after posting a screenshot of a video of the fight on her Snapchat with a vulgar message.
During the hearing, school officials said Kyra Ludwig violated a stay-away contract both students were given after multiple posts on social media.
The expulsion recommendation letter said Kyra Ludwig violated the school code and "intentionally engaged in harassment, threats, or intimidation," which affected the other student's ability to focus in school.
Scott Ludwig, Kyra Ludwig father, agrees the post was inappropriate, but he believes it was a form of free speech and was made outside of school.
He claims that's the reason for the expulsion recommendation, and also said the other student was making social media posts and cyberstalking his daughter.
"A school can't punish a student for simply speaking their opinion, voicing their emotion, expressing their thoughts online," he said.
The district could not talk about what disciplinary actions were taken against the other student, if any.
In an email to 10News, Superintendent David Miyashiro said the allegation that the district is considering student discipline over a social media post is inaccurate.
"In general, it is important for our school community to understand that whenever we review a student’s behavior, we do not limit the examination to one incident or circumstance," the statement said in part.
The superintendent added that last year, a safety and security committee urged the district to take stronger measures to protect students from bullying and threats of violence.
During the hearing, officials mentioned Kyra Ludwig's history of misconduct, such as violating the school dress code and her phone being seen in her pocket.
"It's like you're making an issue out of something that shouldn't be an issue," her father said.
If the panel upholds the expulsion recommendation, the Board of Education will make the final decision at a meeting on Mar. 12.
Superintendent David Miyashiro's full statement:
"When the District reviews a student’s behavior for possible disciplinary action, we do not discuss publicly the student, or the conduct being examined as we continuously work to uphold minor students’ privacy rights. There is an allegation that the District is considering student discipline over a social media post, and while we cannot and will not discuss specifics, we can confirm that this is not an accurate representation of the situation.
In general, it is important for our school community to understand that whenever we review a student’s behavior, we do not limit the examination to one incident or circumstance, rather we look to possible trends in conduct to determine how best to address possible themes that can range from student learning, interactions with students and staff, and student and campus well-being and safety matters."
