NEW TRIER, Ill., June 2 (UPI) -- An Illinois student suspended for printing pornographic material on a school computer has asked a judge to allow him to graduate, school officials said.
Officials at New Trier High School say printing the offending material on a school computer was sufficient to bar John Matthews from the graduation ceremony, but Matthews has asked a Cook County judge to intervene, saying he's already completed a suspension for the offense and shouldn't be penalized further, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.
An attorney for Matthews filed for an immediate injunction against the school's suspension, which would bar the senior from attending the June 5 graduation ceremony and party.
The complaint says Matthews completed the suspension and was entitled to return to school May 27, the last day of class, and should be eligible for the graduation ceremony.
"John risks missing a major milestone in everyone's life: celebrating his high school graduation with his friends and classmates," the suit said. "The school will not be harmed by John walking across the stage to receive his diploma or attending the party."
The complaint does not ask the court to overturn the original suspension. "John's misconduct was wrong and he deserved to be punished for his behavior," it says.
