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Update: The Washoe County School District lifted Noah Christensen’s suspension on March 23, 2018 and gave him back his position as class secretary-treasurer. Thanks to everyone who took this action and urged school administrators to change course! On April 16, 2018, Christensen published a terrific essay at the ACLU Nevada website about his experience and said his “faith in democracy” has been restored.
Noah Christensen is a junior and a model student at Robert McQueen High School in Reno, Nevada. He’s never had detention before, much less a suspension. He was recently elected class secretary and treasurer. But when he recently participated in the National Walkout Day to prevent gun violence, he made a mistake.
Joining other students protesting with him outside the school, Christensen decided to call his Republican Congressman, Mark Amodei, to urge him to do more about stopping gun violence in schools. Rep. Amoedi has taken more than $44,000 from the NRA during his career and consistently supported legislation that makes it easy for violent individuals to legally arm themselves with military-style firepower. That was probably on Christensen’s mind when he told Amoedi’s staffer, “I believe bump stocks should be banned, the minimum age [for purchasing guns] should be raised, and congress people not already [busy] should get off their f**king asses and do something about gun control.”
The staffer did not seem upset and the conversation ended amicably. But for some reason the staffer decided to call Christensen’s high school and tattle on him. School administrators responded by suspending Christensen for two days and stripping him of his of his elected post as class secretary-treasurer, despite the fact that he apologized for his actions and admitted his use of profanity was wrong.
The ACLU is now involved and has sent a letter to school principal Amy Marable and superintendent Traci Davis to demand they revoke the suspension and clear Christensen’s record on constitutional grounds.
Please contact Robert McQueen H.S. principal Amy Marable and school superintendent Traci Davis through one of the channels below and give them the following message (personalized to your liking):
I am contacting you to express my outrage over your treatment of junior Noah Christensen for the mistake he made while discussing school gun violence with a staffer from the office of Congressman Mark Amodei during National Walkout Day. Noah knows what he did was wrong and has apologized. That should have ended the matter. To suspend him, and then strip him of an elected office he gained legitimately, is flat-out wrong and sends a terrible message to your students. This young man was doing his duty as a citizen by reaching out to his Congressman to help preserve his life and the lives of his fellow students. To treat him in this manner because he became a bit emotional while discussing his fear of being shot in school is beyond the pale. Revoke the suspension you issued to Noah Christensen and restore him to the office of junior class secretary-treasurer immediately. Mark Amodei has spent his entire political career taking money from the NRA and voting for bills that make it easier for violent individuals to legally obtain military-style firepower. He’s not worth treating one of your young leaders like this. Be better.
Robert McQueen High School Principal Amy Marable
Phone: (775) 348-0200
Email: amarable@washoeschools.net
Washoe County Schools Superintendent Traci Davis
Phone: (775) 789-4645
Email: tcovington@washoeschools.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WashoeCountySchoolDistrict
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCSDtweet
Should you wish to contact him (report it as an additional action if you do):
Congressman Mark Amodei (R-NV-2nd)
Phone: (775) 686-5760
Email: https://amodei.house.gov/email-me/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkAmodeiNV2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/markamodeinv2
Once you have contacted principal Marable and/or superintendent Davis, click the orange banner below to report taking action!