In a remarkable legal development, a judge has ruled in favor of a 5th-grade student expelled from a prestigious private school in Los Angeles. This decision comes amid controversy surrounding the student's communication with a classmate that included rap lyrics and emojis considered threatening. The case highlights the complexities of school disciplinary actions and raises questions about student expression in educational settings.
The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen I. Goorvitch mandates that the Curtis School, which charges an annual tuition of $38,000, must allow the student to return to classes while the matter is resolved in court. The legal battle began after the parents of the expelled student filed a lawsuit, claiming that the expulsion was "arbitrary and capricious" and lacked any substantial evidence of wrongdoing.
This incident underscores the broader discussion about how schools handle disciplinary actions, particularly in elite institutions where reputations and parental expectations can lead to contentious decisions. As this case unfolds, it will undoubtedly draw attention from educators, parents, and legal experts alike.
A judge has ruled that an elite Mulholland Drive private school must reverse the expulsion of a 5th grade student over emails sent to a peer containing rap lyrics and the squirt gun emoji until the case can be heard at trial.
On Oct. 17, the parents of the expelled student filed a lawsuit against the Curtis School and Head of School Meera Ratnesar, alleging that the expulsion was “arbitrary and capricious” and that the school provided no evidence of a policy being violated or of the classmate feeling threatened.
This week Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen I. Goorvitch approved an order filed by the parent’s attorneys to temporarily halt the boy’s expulsion, according to court papers filed Thursday. The attorneys argued that expulsion is a harmful disruption to the student’s education and socialization, according to court documents.
The judge’s order took effect immediately and the student was free to return to school on Friday, according to court documents. However, the decision can be reconsidered if evidence emerges that the student poses a danger to students or faculty, and the school remains at liberty to impose alternative disciplinary measures, according to court documents.
The Curtis School is a prestigious elementary school with an annual tuition of $38,000 where many celebrities, such as Victoria and David Beckham, have sent their children.
School representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the order. In a statement shared last week, the school said it was disappointed by the litigation and committed to ensuring a safe and secure campus for all, but it declined to comment on individual students.
The student was expelled by Ratnesar on Oct. 1 over two email exchanges with a classmate.
On Sept. 5, the boy and a classmate sent emails back and forth containing lyrics from the YNW Melly song “Murder on My Mind,” which references guns and violence, according to court documents. Then on Sept. 25, the students engaged in another email exchange during their math class in which the boy sent messages on his school-issued laptop saying
