California family sue school over 'ridiculous' decision to suspend their son from football team because they called his 'war paint' - blackface
- The eighth-grader, only identified as J.A., said there were no issues at the October 13 football game
- But a week later, his parents were informed that he would be suspended from classes for two days and banned from going to the district's sporting events
A California family is suing their son's middle school after administrators accused him of wearing blackface when he put 'war paint' on during a football game.
The eighth-grader from San Diego, only identified as J.A., said there were no issues at the October 13 football game, and that one security guard even told him his war paint should go higher in his face.
But a week later, J.A's parents were informed by Muirlands Middle School's principal Jeff Luna that he would be suspended from classes for two days and banned from going to the district's sporting events.
Daniel Amenduri, J.A's dad, told Fox News on Thursday the disciplinary notice accused J.A. of painting his face black as 'an offensive comment' and 'with intent to harm.'
Principal Luna reportedly told the boy's family the paint was particularly offensive because one of the school's playing was predominantly black.
A California family is suing their son's middle school after administrators accused him of wearing blackface when he put 'war paint' on during a football game in San Diego
Daniel Amenduri, J.A's dad, told Fox News on Thursday the disciplinary notice accused J.A. of painting his face black as 'an offensive comment' and 'with intent to harm'
J.A. said he was simply wearing paint on his face like many athletes do - and that he used to wear the paint on his face when he lived in Texas.
The family's lawsuit argues J.A. was emulating 'eye black warrior paint' like many athletes do.
Amenduri said he thought the issue would be resolved once he showed principal Luna a picture of J.A. sporting the face paint, but that was not the case, and J.A. was found guilty without an investigation.
'The only people showing absolute racism right now is the school administrators,' J.A.'s outraged father said of the situation, adding that his son did not even know what black face was before the ordeal.
Their suit says that 'such use of eye black began as a way to reduce glare during games, but long ago evolved into 'miniature billboards' for personal messages and war-paint slatherings.'
It goes on to claim J.A.'s First Amendment rights were violated and he was not provided due process after being accused.
Amenduri said he thought the issue would be resolved once he showed principal Luna a picture of J.A. sporting the face paint, but that was not the case
J.A.'s lawsuit comes months after a young Kansas City Chiefs fan was similarly accused of racism after he wore black and red paint on his face
The San Diego Unified School District, principal Luna and 'the people who made the decision to rubber-stamp the principal's ridiculous decision to suspend J.A' are named in the suit, according to attorney Karin Sweigart.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Muirlands Middle School for comment on this story.
J.A.'s lawsuit comes months after a young Kansas City Chiefs fan was similarly accused of racism after he wore black and red paint on his face.
Deadspin reporter Carron Phillips accused Holden Armenta of mocking black people after seeing a picture in profile which did not show the half of his face painted in the red of his beloved football team.
Phillips also slammed Holden's Native American headdress and his 'Tomahawk Chop' gesture claiming the little boy had 'found a way to hate Black people and the Native Americans at the same time'.
But it later emerged that the youngster has Native American heritage himself with a grandfather serving on the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
