Teen Suspended for Attending His School's In-Person Classes

It was Maverick Stow's assigned day to be attending remotely
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 10, 2020 2:00 AM CDT
Updated Sep 10, 2020 6:32 AM CDT
Teen Suspended for Attending His School's In-Person Classes
Stock photo.   (Getty Images / WoodysPhotos)

Maverick Stow, a 17-year-old high school senior, thinks students should be attending in-person classes five days a week. So, to protest his New York school's hybrid learning model, Stow went ahead and attended his classes in person on Tuesday—despite that day being his assigned day to attend remotely. His teacher reported him to administrators, who asked him to leave the William Floyd High School campus in Mastic Beach, Long Island, but he refused. He remained at school the rest of the day, but at that point officials told him he was being hit with a five-day suspension, ABC 7 reports. The next day, he went right back to campus—leading administrators to call police, Fox News reports.

"Suffolk County Police responded to William Floyd High School on September 9 after a student showed up to class when he was not scheduled to," reads a police statement. "The school issued the student a suspension. Police advised the student to attend only when he is scheduled to. The student left without incident." In a statement, the school district says it agrees with Stow that students should be on campus five days a week, but "we must follow the social distancing requirements set forth by the state," and that Stow's "rights as a student do not surpass the rights of the other 8,799 students we have the privilege of educating." They suggested he take his advocacy to state officials. As for Stow's parents, they're cool with what he's doing. "Virtual learning is not learning," says his mom. (More coronavirus stories.)

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