The Southern Legal Resource Center

e U P D A T E

Monday, April 17, 2006

P ublished electronically by the Southern Legal Resource Center

P.O. Box 1235, Black Mountain, NC 28711/(828) 669-5189/slrc@slrc-csa.org

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SLRC FILES 3 LAWSUITS IN 2 WEEKS

Twin cases in TN, Hardwick complaint in SC mark busy March

 

The filing of a trio of lawsuits, all stemming from bans on Confederate-themed clothing in public schools, has kept the SLRC busy during the entire month of March and into April.

 

The litigation includes back-to-back complaints filed in Blount County , Tennessee – one of which seeks multimillion dollar damages against a high school principal – as well as the long awaited serving of Candice Hardwick's suit against school administrators in Dillon County, South Carolina.

 

SLRC affiliate attorney Van Irion of Knoxville filed the first Blount County suit on March 2, on behalf of three students at William Blount High School . The suit charges that the school's actions in banning Confederate symbols and disciplinary action taken against the students for wearing them violates the students' First Amendment rights. The complaint names the Blount County School Board, Director of Schools Alvin Hord (in his official capacity) and Principal Steve LaFon (in both his official and individual capacities) as defendants.

 

The second lawsuit states that within hours of being served with the first suit, Principal Lafon made the girlfriend of one of the plaintiffs come to his office, on grounds that she was wearing a pair of jeans that violated the school's dress code, forcibly took photographs of her, including close-ups of her thighs, and threatened her with suspension if she did not cooperate in letting him do so. The student's jeans did not display any Confederate images, but were frayed, although not in such a way that the student's skin was visible, the suit states. The complaint maintains that LaFon's actions were undertaken in retaliation for his being named in the first lawsuit. Mark Williamson, the teacher who sent the female student to see LaFon, is named as a co-defendant. The second suit seeks total damages of $10 million.

 

On March 29, the SLRC filed suit on behalf of Candice Michele Hardwick for a series of incidents dating back to 2003, in which school officials demanded that she change out of, or turn inside out, t-shirts she was wearing that displayed either the Confederate flag itself or comments about it.

 

Ms. Hardwick and her parents, Daryl and Priscilla Hardwick, have sued Latta School District ( Dillon County #3) maintaining that maintain that the shirts were not offensive or disruptive, were not specifically banned by the school's dress code, and that the “disciplinary” action taken against Candice for wearing them was arbitrary and violated her Constitutional rights. In filing the lawsuit, the family is seeking to have the school board amend its dress code to allow Confederate symbols, and is also seeking actual and punitive damages arising from Candice's treatment.

 

In a last-minute letter to the SLRC, Columbia attorney Vernie Williams, acting for the school board, said the board would relent and allow Candice to wear the protest shirts which did not bear an actual image of the flag, but the SLRC has held that this concession is not good enough and plans to go forward with its legal action.

 

The case was filed in U.S. Federal District Court in Florence , SC , about 30 miles from Latta.

 

 

Charlotte Attorney Jim Hickmon elected to Board of Directors

 

James B. Hickmon, a Charlotte-based attorney and longtime friend of the SLRC, has been named to the Board of Directors, Executive Director Roger McCredie announced recently.

 

Hickmon, a graduate of Wake Forest Law School , practiced law in Richmond , Virginia for three years before joining McGuire Woods in Charlotte . He recently left that firm to start his own practice, Hickmon Law Group.

 

“Having Jim on the Board is really good news,” McCredie said. “He is a highly knowledgeable lawyer and an aggressive litigator. He's also licensed to practice in both North Carolina and Virginia and will be of great help in covering matters in those states for us. Also, he's absolutely committed to the work and principles of the SLRC. We're proud and fortunate to have him.”

 

Hickmon and his wife, the former Alison Hermann, attend Sharon Road Presbyterian Church in Charlotte . He is also a member of the Major Egbert Ross Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans.

 

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Success in Warmack case gets Lyons invited to NY Scottish gala

 

NEW YORK – SLRC Chief Trial Counsel Kirk Lyons and wife Brenna recently attended the annual “Dressed to Kilt” Scottish fashion show and reception as guests of the event's executive committee.

 

Lyons was issued the invitation to attend in recognition for the SLRC's successful intervention in the matter of Nathan Todd Warmack, the Missouri high school student who was turned away from a formal dance at his school because he was wearing a kilt in his family's tartan. Young Warmack received an all expense paid trip to Scotland .

 

The annual gala is underwritten by Johnny Walker Scotch and hosted by Sir Sean and Lady Connery. It has become a hot ticket for celebrity Scots and non-Scots alike.

 

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The Official SLRC Wish List

 

(Maybe it's not too late to appeal to the Easter Bunny.)

 

•  Office furniture (desks, chairs, cabinets, credenzas)

•  Laptop computer (new or used)

•  Conference Table & Chairs

•  Bookshelves

•  Two clean, good-running late model used cars (ask for details)

 

And of course we always need money. Just plain operating funds. Which brings us to the important message below:

 

 

WANTED: Smart, dedicated, angry attorneys: Apply Within

 

By definition the Southern Legal Resource Center is the hub of a network of attorneys committed to assisting citizens whose constitutional rights have been violated in matters involving Southern heritage or culture. These attorneys usually assist us by serving as local counsel in their respective areas. Thing is, we need more. If you are a licensed attorney who is seriously interested in helping preserve and protect the rights of those who take pride in Southern heritage, and in helping to advocate for those who have been victimized for expressing that pride, we'd like to hear from you. Please call us at (828) 669-5189, write us at P.O. Box 1235 , Black Mountain NC 28711 , or e-mail us via the contact form on our website, www.slrc-csa.org .

 

 

 

If you have a stake in Southern heritage and culture, and are looking for a meaningful way to honor and protect them, please give generously to the Southern Legal Resource Center. With your help we can continue our aggressive efforts to secure the rights of all Southerners to express pride in their regional identity without fear of ridicule or reprisal, as should be the case for all Americans.

 

 

The Southern Legal Resource Center, Inc.   Roger W. McCredie …………………………………….............. Executive Director Kirk D. Lyons………………………………Staff Attorney and Chief Trial Counsel Allison J. Schaum….…………………………………………………….Case Manager Betty D. Tate.…………………………………………………………..Office Manager   BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dewey Barber.………………………………………………………….Odum, Georgia Bragdon R. Bowling.…………………………………………….. Richmond , Virginia Gene Hough, Attorney.………………………………… Oklahoma City , Oklahoma Judge Robert N. Jones, Jr….…………………………………………… Austin , Texas R. Burl McCoy, Attorney……...……………………………… Lexington , Kentucky Neill H. Payne, DC……………………………… .Black Mountain , North Carolina Lourie A. Salley, III, Attorney (Chairman) ………….. Lexington , South Carolina Rick D. Wilkerson …..…….………………………Black Mountain, North Carolina Ann Rives Zappa ………………………………………. Chapel Hill , North Carolina

 

 

The Southern Legal Resource Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, and contributions to it are fully tax deductible. Credit card and PayPal donations may be made at our website by clicking on “How You Can Help.” Checks payable to the Southern Legal Resource Center should be mailed to P.O. Box 1235 , Black Mountain , NC 28711 . “Thumbs Up for Dixie ” stickers are available for SLRC and local heritage fundraising projects. Contact Allison Schaum for details at slrc@crystalink.com or (864) 476-0656. If you wish to receive our weekly e-mail update, contact us at slrc@slrc-csa.org.