A high school student from North Carolina, Christian McGee, sparked controversy last year when he used the phrase “illegal foreigners” in an English class. This led to his suspension for three days at Central Davidson High School in Lexington on April 9, 2024. His family claimed that the phrase was misinterpreted, and they believed it never should have warranted disciplinary action.
McGee’s mother, Leah, argued that the school and the Davidson County Board of Education were infringing on her son’s First Amendment rights, prompting her to file a lawsuit.
After a prolonged legal battle, McGee’s family and the school board reached a settlement on Wednesday. According to court documents, the board will clear any mentions of racial bias in McGee’s school records and issue a public apology acknowledging the errors related to racial bias.
Additionally, the school board will provide the family with $20,000 to assist with tuition at a new private school for McGee.
“On Friday, we submitted an appeal to the court to approve the settlement,” stated a representative, emphasizing that since McGee is a minor, a court hearing is necessary for the settlement to be finalized. A hearing is currently scheduled for July 1.
McGee recounted that during the class, the teacher prompted students to use the word “alien” in context, asking whether they meant “space alien” or “illegal alien.” Despite the playful context, tensions escalated when a Hispanic student reacted harshly, leading the teacher to escalate the incident to Assistant Principal Eric Anderson.
Anderson interpreted McGee’s comments as offensive and indicative of racial motivation, a conclusion that led to McGee’s suspension.
“I was not targeting anyone; I was just asking a question,” McGee later explained. “The term ‘illegal alien’ is one I see in the news and find in the dictionary.” His mother also criticized the school’s actions, feeling that they unjustly labeled her son as racist.
After her appeals to the school administration were met with resistance, Leah sought legal counsel from the Centre for the Free Justice Educational Liberty Lawyer to fight for her son’s name and record.
In interviews, Leah expressed disappointment that the school could not turn the situation into a learning experience, suggesting that better communication could have resolved the issue without disciplinary action. Ultimately, both parties described the settlement as fair and in the best interest of all involved.
