TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE: A Tennessee high school student is taking legal action against his school district, claiming a violation of his First Amendment rights. The unidentified student was suspended after posting three memes on Instagram, all of which were humorous jabs at the school principal, who had been perceived as excessively serious.
One of the memes depicted Tullahoma High School Principal Jason Quick holding a box of vegetables with the accompanying text saying "my brotha" and "on god."
Why was the student suspended?
In August 2022, the 17-year-old rising senior, referred to as "IP" in court documents, was summoned to the school administrators' office for questioning. The suspension was a result of the student posting three additional memes on Instagram.
One portrayed principal Jason Quick wearing a dress with cat ears and whiskers, while the second meme featured Quick's head superimposed on a character from the online game 'Among Us', being embraced by another character.
Attorney Conor Fitzpatrick argued that the student's suspension was based on overly subjective grounds. He pointed out that the memes were posted outside of school hours and away from school premises, and they did not cause any disturbance at the school. However, the school handbook explicitly forbids students from sharing photos or videos that could embarrass, demean, or discredit staff or fellow students.
Who is Jason Quick?
Principal Jason Quick is a Tullahoma High School graduate and holds an undergraduate degree in Secondary Business Education as well as a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Presently, he is pursuing a Doctorate in Rural Education at the University of West Alabama. Quick started his career as a business teacher at South Gibson County High School and Huntsville High School.
He later transitioned to school administration, serving as an Assistant Principal at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, as well as an Assistant Principal at Athens High School and Fine Arts Director for Athens City Schools in Athens, Alabama. Beyond his professional life, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Beth, and their three children, cherishing moments with family and friends outside of the school environment.
