Woman sues Poland schools over daughter

YOUNGSTOWN — A woman has sued the Poland school district and its board of education for suspending her daughter from Poland Seminary High School for 10 days and banning her from athletic activities for a year.

Rebekah Morse of Center Road, Poland Township, filed the suit Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on behalf of her daughter, Brittany Gamble, 16, a junior.

The suit says Brittany Gamble was suspended from school and all extracurricular activities as punishment for allegedly possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages at a band night at Canfield High School on Aug. 28. It says Gamble was suspended by the Poland Local Board of Education, effective Sept. 4.

Morse’s attorney, Plato Kalfas, said Morse and her daughter want the school to give the girl a chance to prove her innocence. For instance, after the girl was accused of consuming alcohol, apparently based on the accusations of others, Morse asked if the girl could take a Breathalyzer test, but the school refused.

In situations like this, the “unsubstantiated statements from others” is not enough, Kalfas said. The school needs more objective evidence, he said.

“The board didn’t afford her an opportunity to show that she was innocent,” he said.

In an affidavit contained in the suit, Morse said she has been a deputy sheriff for Mahoning County for 10 years and believes “based on information and observations” as a deputy, her daughter did not possess or consume any alcoholic beverages on that date.

The suit says the penalties would deprive Gamble of educational opportunities and cause emotional distress “from both the wrongful accusation of improper behavior and the suspension itself.”

The suit seeks a temporary restraining order to halt the suspension, reinstatement of the girl to full-time status at the school with all rights and privileges and removal of all documents pertaining to the incident from Gamble’s records.

Vindicator files indicate that Gamble played softball and volleyball last school year.

Dr. Robert Zorn, Poland Schools superintendent, said he is not permitted to discuss pending legal matters.