/ 12 October 2004

Teenager arrested for swearing

A 17-year-old high-school student from North Carolina in the United States faces a possible 30 days in jail after school resource officers arrested him for using foul language with a teacher.

Ashley High School student Glenn Gattis said he used bad language after he got in trouble with the teacher for being late to class on August 25. School resource officers intervened and charged him with disorderly conduct, saying his language was meant to provoke violence.

Gattis and his parents do not deny he cursed and acknowledged he has had other disciplinary problems at school. But they said the misdemeanour criminal charge is an overreaction and have hired a lawyer to fight the charge.

Lieutenant JL Simmons, who oversees resource officers for the sheriff’s office, said it is not uncommon for deputies to cite students for disorderly conduct and fighting.

”When things get reckless, we have to do something,” he said. ”It happens all the time.”

School officials declined to comment.

Gattis has an October 20 court date and was suspended from school for three days. — Sapa-AP