African American students suspended from basketball game over alleged “gang sign” photo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2014

CONTACT: Chris Ahmuty, ACLU of Wisconsin, 414-272-4032, ext. 213; cahmuty@aclu-wi.org

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. – A newspaper recently published a photo that resulted in two brothers on the Sheboygan Falls High School basketball team being suspended from a game taking place tomorrow, January 17.

School officials allegedly suspended the African American students because the officials believe the brothers displayed gang signs in the photo, the media reported. After the photo was published in the Sheboygan Falls News, parents allegedly complained about it to school officials, who then contacted the Sheboygan Falls Police Departments. 

Today, ACLU of Wisconsin executive director Chris Ahmuty issued this statement:

“It appears as if the Sheboygan Falls school district and police department are unprepared to respond to the increasing diversity in the schools in an appropriate and educationally sound manner. The ACLU will be seeking information from the schools in order to assess their compliance with pupil non-discrimination rules. The ACLU asks the district to immediately make the brothers eligible to play in tomorrow’s game. Finally, we urge the district to treat this as a “teachable moment” by providing students, teachers and parents with positive ways to respond to diversity among students.”

The ACLU works to defend First Amendment principles, such as supporting students who are expressing themselves, as well as working with schools to ensure that students feel safe and are included in their education. We would be happy to come to Sheboygan Falls and facilitate a training to that end.”

The ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan, private organization whose more than 6,000 members support its efforts to defend the civil rights and liberties of all Wisconsin residents. For more on the ACLU of Wisconsin, visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @ACLUofWisconsin and @ACLUMadison.