Two teenagers were expelled from Saint Francis High School, a prestigious California Catholic school, for allegedly wearing blackface. They have both been awarded more than $1 million after proving that it was actually a green acne face mask.
The acne treatment, purchased by one of the boys' mothers, appears light green when first applied to the face, but once dry and in effect, the substance turns into more of a darker green.
A lawsuit filed on behalf of the then-14-year-olds stated the teens were posing for a selfie while wearing the masks during a sleepover in 2017 as a way to show support for a friend who was suffering from severe acne.
Three years later, the post went viral after it was widely shared on social media platforms amid the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, according to The New York Post.
A Santa Clara County jury agreed that the school had in fact breached an oral contract and did not give them due process before the expulsion in 2020.
Each student, known only as A.H. and H.H. in the lawsuit, was awarded $500,000 and will also be reimbursed for the $70,000 tuition from that school year.
Krista Baughman, one of the attorneys for the students, said,
"This case is significant not only for our clients but for its groundbreaking effect on all private high schools in California, which are now legally required to provide fair procedure to students before punishing or expelling them."
Adding that "the school is not above the law,"
The family of A.H. released a statement to express their gratitude for the justice system:
"We want to sincerely thank the jury and the court system for helping our boys and our families find justice, which now paves the way for their names to be cleared for things they never did."
Initially, the lawsuit sought $20 million for defamation and violation of free speech; however, the court did reject some of the boys' allegations.
Representatives for the school responded to the verdict, saying they "respectfully disagree" with the jury's decision and are "exploring legal options," including an appeal.
