A federal court may be asked to decide whether Alpharetta High School's student body president was ousted for poor leadership or for pushing to have the ceremonial crowning of a prom king and queen changed to be more inclusive of gay students.
Reuben Lack, a senior, honor student and debate team captain at the north Fulton high school, filed a federal lawsuit this week, alleging that his removal Feb. 8 as student body president violated his First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and expression.
The lawsuit contends Lack's removal as president was prompted by his push to change the tradition of prom king and queen, possibly to a prom court, so that same-sex couples could be honored.
The lawsuit asks that Fulton County Schools be forced to allow him to complete his term as president. It also seeks punitive damages from the school system, principal and two student council advisers "due to the intentional and outrageous nature of their actions."
The school system Friday stood by the decision to remove Lack as president and said it had nothing to do with his view on the prom.
“The student was essentially a poor leader. He behaved in [a] manner not becoming of student body president including but not limited to rescheduling meetings with little notice, directly going against the instructions of the faculty advisers, calling out students on social media for not siding with him on votes/issues, not participating in school council functions, and misrepresenting the status of projects," school system attorney Suzann Wilcox Jiles said in a statement.
Lack, who was elected student body president in April 2011, claims in the lawsuit that he was told he was removed from office for "pushing personal projects" and "advocating for policy changes."
Other reasons cited for his ouster included a speech he made to freshmen in which he encouraged them to participate in the debate team, the lawsuit says.
In a statement, Fulton County School Superintendent Robert Avossa said he supports the principal and staff in the way they handled the situation.
"It is unfortunate that this matter is being tried in the court of public perception," Avossa said. "The facts about this allegation will be revealed completely through the legal process."
"We assure you that no one at Alpharetta High School has made any decision that would be considered biased or prejudiced," Avossa said.
Lack's attorneys have scheduled a news conference Monday.
In an email Friday, Lack called the district's public comments about him "extremely hurtful."
"I have always had respect for the school and its staff," he said. "I love Alpharetta High School, and, in my time as student body president, I believe that we've been very successful with all our projects and activities."
Lack said if his leadership was an issue, "Why did it take 10 months into my term for them to remove me?"
"It was clearly about the prom proposal," he said. "They even said that, and it's the truth."
Staff writers D. Aileen Dodd and Maureen Downey contributed to this article.
the exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment to the United States
Constitution, as well as to restrain further exercise of said rights
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