May 26th 2024.
In August of 2023, Amara Harris achieved a significant legal victory against the city of Naperville, IL. It all began in 2019 when she was a student at Naperville High School and was accused of stealing a pair of AirPods. At the time, she was fined and faced serious consequences for something she maintains was simply an accident. However, after a long and grueling legal battle, Harris was able to successfully prove her innocence and win her case against the city.
But now, Harris is back in the spotlight as she has filed a new lawsuit against Naperville. This time, she is alleging that her civil rights were violated and that she was maliciously prosecuted by the city's attorneys. According to ProPublica, the lawsuit was filed in federal court on May 21st and outlines the city's actions in taking her case all the way to a jury trial, despite a lack of evidence. Not only is Harris suing the city, but she is also suing a former school police officer, Juan Leon, and his supervisor, Jonathan Pope. During the trial, Leon even admitted that he had no direct evidence linking Harris to the alleged theft.
In an interview with ProPublica, Harris explained that her fight is not just for herself, but for all students who may face unfair treatment during school investigations. Her lawsuit is seeking $20 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as changes to be made within the Naperville police department to prevent future civil rights violations. As Harris stated, "They were wrong and they have to face consequences and be held accountable for what they did and for dragging this on."
ProPublica's investigation into Harris' case, titled "The Price Kids Pay," revealed that she is not the only student in Illinois who has been subjected to a flawed system of school ticketing disguised as discipline. In fact, their report found that this practice of levying fees and fines has even put some parents into debt. And to make matters worse, there is no option for a public defender to assist in these cases, leaving families to fight the system on their own, as Harris did.
S. Todd Yeary, one of Harris' lawyers and the former CEO of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, explained to ProPublica that the only way to fight back against this system is through the court system. He stated, "If the legislators aren't going to fix the law, if the system isn't going to make sure there is accountability, the only recourse is to get the courts involved. This is about one young woman's courage to say, 'The reason I am not going to pay the ticket is because I did nothing wrong.'"
ProPublica's investigation also uncovered a troubling statistic: Black students in Illinois are nearly five times more likely than white students to be ticketed by school police. Harris' lawsuit also brings attention to this issue, stating that the ticket she received was a result of racial discrimination, a violation of her constitutional rights, and retaliation.
In response to the lawsuit, Naperville City Attorney Mike DiSanto issued a statement to Law & Crime, stating that the city intends to fight Harris' claims and attempted to distance the city from the actions of the police officers involved. The statement read, "The police officers involved in this matter relied upon independent eyewitness statements from school officials and students in issuing the theft citation to Ms. Harris." DiSanto also noted that the court had denied Harris' motions to suppress evidence and dismiss the case, indicating that there was enough evidence to issue the citation. He also emphasized that the Naperville Police Department is an accredited agency with high standards of integrity.
This case serves as another example of the systemic issues within the education and legal systems that disproportionately impact Black students. As Harris' fight for justice continues, it's clear that there is still much work to be done to ensure fair and equal treatment for all students.
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