In August 2017, three 14-year-old boys had a sleepover where they took a picture of themselves wearing dark green acne masks. Two of the boys were about to start attending St. Francis High School in Mountain View, California. The boys took the picture in a playful act of solidarity, thinking they looked “silly.”
Three years later, the picture resurfaced online, and the two St. Francis students were falsely accused of posing in blackface. They were forced to leave the school under the threat of expulsion. Recently, a California jury awarded the boys, known as A.H. and H.H. in their lawsuit against the school, $1 million in damages, along with a tuition reimbursement of about $70,000.
The boys’ families filed a lawsuit in 2021, stating that the innocent photograph was misconstrued during a period of social unrest. The context of racial scandals at St. Francis, including a meme about George Floyd’s death, led to a rush to judgment by school officials. This false accusation disrupted the boys’ lives without allowing them to explain the photo.
The lawsuit emphasized that the boys had no ill-intent or racist sentiments when taking the photo. The school’s unfair treatment of the boys led to a violation of an oral contract and a claim under the California Supreme Court’s “common law doctrine of fair procedure.” This case marks the first time the doctrine has been applied to a private secondary school.
The attorneys representing A.H. and H.H. highlighted the significance of the jury’s decision, which mandates fair procedure for all private high schools in California. They emphasized the need for schools to protect and nurture children, rather than sacrificing them for public relations purposes.
While St. Francis officials disagree with the jury’s conclusion, the plaintiffs’ attorneys noted that the school expelled the boys without considering their evidence or offering a hearing. The school’s actions had significant personal, educational, and emotional consequences for the students.
The parents of the boys expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision, which vindicated their sons and held St. Francis accountable for their actions. They emphasized the importance of clearing their boys’ names and ensuring that schools do not assume guilt without allowing for innocence to be proven.
Despite the impact on their lives, the parents believe the sacrifice was worth it to seek justice and prevent similar injustices in the future.
