School Temporarily Reinstates 3 Teens

Three Foothill High School seniors were to return to campus today pending the outcome of a court hearing on whether they were unfairly transferred because of suspected marijuana smoking during the school lunch period.

Orange County Superior Court Judge John C. Woolley prodded the Tustin Unified School District to reinstate the teenagers until holiday break begins on Dec. 18. The hearing is set for Dec. 29. Meanwhile, the students will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities.

The students deny the drug charges, but a lawsuit filed against the district Tuesday on the students’ behalf said that two of them initially made an admission under the coercion of school officials, who threatened to suspend them, contact police and ban them from playing football and baseball. Administrators also told the teens they were videotaped smoking marijuana in a private home, but later admitted the tape contained no such evidence, according to the suit.

Spencer E. Covert, a Tustin lawyer representing the school district, said the district is contesting the lawsuit because the students’ actions warrant transfers to other campuses.