A federal judge will soon decide whether an Alpharetta High School senior should be reinstated as student body president despite his ouster by faculty advisors who criticized his leadership.
A hearing on the motion to compel Alpharetta High to restore Reuben Lack, 18, to his position was held today before U.S. District Judge Richard Story.
Lack believes he lost his position as student body president because he shared a proposal to make the prom queen and king competition more inclusive of gay teens. Lack filed a federal lawsuit alleging his First Amendment rights to free speech were violated shortly after he lost his position as president.
A Decatur law firm representing Lack filed a temporary restraining order to compel Fulton Schools to reinstate him.
“Once he graduates high school, you can’t reinstate him as student body president,” said James Radford, Lack's attorney. “We need to get some short term relief.”
Fulton County Schools officials stand behind the decision to remove Lack.
“I really would like this to move along quickly so that the principal can get her staff and students focused and moving past this distraction,’’ said Samantha Evans, spokeswoman for Fulton Schools.
Lack is suing Alpharetta High principal Shannon Kersey and the faculty advisors for the student council, Michelle Werre and Emily Reiser.
Both sides await the ruling on the restraining order.
“Judge Story was very gracious to both sides and we are certain he will issue a fair order,” Radford said.
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