'Dr. Pepper scandal lawsuit submitted

A mother view sued the school district View Birch Tree and claims that the school violated her son's constitutional rights and permanently drawn it as a cyber bullet. Last autumn, a student of Liberty Middle School online has a picture of Dr. Pepper Cans published, which are glued together in the form of a rifle. This student, who was named “WG” in the lawsuit, was searched by the school staff and, according to court documents, was suspended.

As already treated by Howell County News, the disciplinary measure triggered a conversation within the community. Superintendent Lanna Tharp made an explanation at the end of September 2024 in which the media were responsible for “sensational” the story.

On April 10, 2025, the student of the student, Riley Grunden, submitted the lawsuit, and all the defendants named were served through their lawyer until April 18. In addition to the school district itself, Tammy Heiney, director of the Liberty Middle School, are also named in their individual capacities.

The lawsuit describes the actions of WG as a participation in an online trend and calls it: “A sociable thirteen-year-old boy who generally makes good grades and has never been the subject of all bullying before September 13, 2024.”

“The embassy of WG was sent in private hours after school and was in no way associated with school activities, school traffic or school technology.”

The petition points out that the rifle business was on the floor in the photo, not in the child's hands, and gave no indication that flat share was a threat.

The associated music that WG sent with the photo says: “This is the famous AK47. The AK47 is the most popular rifle in the world.”

The school's disciplinary report refers to these texts.

The pupils “Permanent Record determine the crime of 'Mobbing Cyber' with the following 'Detailed description': [W.G.] sent a snapchat to people of an AK47 from Dr. Pepper CANs with a background noise speaks of AK47. The school was made aware because a parent sent it to the administration team, ”said court files.

On September 15, 2024, the lawsuit received the client Heiney, Heiney, a call from an undisclosed source in relation to the photo. The headmaster informed Grunden that her child would have to be searched before entering the school area.

On September 17, 2024, the mother and the student met with the superintendent Tharp, the headmaster Heiney and the school's resource officer, Travis Wilbanks by The Mountain View Police Department in the central office of the district. The student was searched and received a three -day suspension from the school.

The mother of WG turned to the media to tell the history of her son and used both local branches such as Ky3 and the Devtalks Podcast and recently national news sources such as Fox News and The New York Post.

When the controversy heated up, Tharp published an explanation that has been consistently cited in all media reporting since September 2024: “We have enough information to believe that the video caused at least one student who caused fear, and we understandably have it.

In a letter to the community in September 2024, Tharp said: “Disciplinary incidents include an investigation, and one not only includes the immediate circumstances, to whom the photo was sent and why earlier incidents in which a student was involved and the interactions with the same colleagues appear in the past. Rather as part of the solution.”

Tharp did not answer an application for a statement on the lawsuit or confirmation that the closed special meeting of the school authority was associated on Wednesday, citing a “legal” exception. The reporting on this meeting can be found on page XXXXX.

In September 2024 and again in March 2025, Tharp rejected an opportunity to take part in a town hall meeting of the municipality.

The family lawsuit is looking for a “Trial de Novo” – essentially an admission that the suspension of the student violates constitutional rights – and to get out of his educational documents. They also want a permanent injunction that would forbid the district, Tharp and Heiney to take further disciplinary measures against the child. The only required money remuneration is lawyers and “appropriate fees and expenses”.

The Grunden family is Dave Roland, the director of legal disputes and co -founders of the Freedom Center of Missouri. Marc Ellinger and Stephanie Bell are partners of the Elschern Bell company based in Jefferson City. The three work together in this case.