Suspension Lifted For North Paulding Student Who Tweeted Photo

DALLAS, GA — At least one of the students whose photos of a crowded high-school hallway ignited nationwide outrage will be going back to class Monday.

The mother of Hannah Watters, the North Paulding High School sophomore who took the pictures — and was suspended for it — told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday that the school district lifted the suspension.

“She will have no discipline on her record,” Lynne Watters said to the Atlanta newspaper.

Images of maskless students crowded together at North Paulding High School went viral after Hannah Watters tweeted them earlier this week.

Once that happened, the Dallas school quickly became a lightning rod for condemnation of in-person teaching as the coronavirus continues to spread.

The district responded to the criticism by suspending Watters for five days for violating the school’s policy against using social media during school hours.

But when a BuzzFeed News article on Thursday publicized the suspension, the school officials had even more brickbats thrown at them, forcing them to backpedal.

The status of a second, unidentified student who was also suspended for posting pictures is unknown.

Even Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods appeared to weigh in, at least indirectly.

In a statement issued Friday, Woods, said he had heard “concerns about students disciplined for sharing photos taken at school.” While allowing that districts had the right to discipline students, he added that he wanted them “to operate with transparency, and to ensure that students and staff are not penalized for expressing their concerns.”

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