Two former California high school students were awarded $1 million and tuition reimbursement after they were forced to withdraw from the school in 2020 for wearing acne masks, which were mistaken as “blackface” by officials and community members. The students, now 21 years old, became the center of a racism controversy when a picture of them with acne masks circulated during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. The lawsuit against Saint Francis High School (SFHS) was significant in establishing fair procedures for private high schools in California before punishing or expelling students.
The boys sued SFHS, the school’s president, and a parent of another student for breach of contract, defamation, and violating their legal rights. A jury awarded each former student $500,000 and tuition reimbursement totaling about $70,000. The controversy started when one of the boys, with adolescent acne, and a friend applied white acne masks to their faces in 2017. They took a picture of themselves in the masks, and the next day, they included another friend, Holden Hughes, in green face masks, which appeared dark green when dried and led to misunderstandings of blackface.
Accusations against the boys arose in 2020 amid racially charged scandals at SFHS, but the boys were not involved in any racism related incidents. Despite SFHS admitting the boys did not act in a racist manner, they were pressured to withdraw from the school to avoid expulsion. The boys were labeled as scapegoats and were forced to leave town for their safety. The lawsuit highlighted the unfair treatment of the boys and the impact it had on their lives and families.
The accusation of blackface upended the lives of the boys and their families, causing them to move and affecting their ability to complete high school, participate in athletics, and gain admission to colleges. The boys’ families expressed gratitude to the jury for helping clear their names and seeking justice. They hope that the verdict will lead to accountability for those responsible and ensure the protection of students in the future, while restoring the integrity of SFHS as a Holy Cross high school.
SFHS responded to the jury’s verdict by expressing appreciation for the rejection of the primary claims of defamation and breach of contract, stating that they did not violate the students’ free speech rights or defame them. SFHS is exploring legal options, including appealing the verdict regarding the fairness of the disciplinary review process. They emphasized their commitment to educating students and living out the Catholic values of the Holy Cross tradition. The case highlights the importance of fair procedures and accountability in private high schools in California.
