GoFundMe For Student Suspended For Violating Coronavirus Rules

MASTIC BEACH, NY — The mother of a student who was suspended for violating coronavirus protocols at his high school — and who was later arrested and charged with trespassing — is raising funds for his legal fees.

A GoFundMe page, "Maverick Stow's Legal Defense & Expenses," was created by Nora Kaplan-Stow. So far, the page has raised $506 of its $10,000 goal.

"This fundraiser is to assist with Maverick Stow's legal defense and expenses regarding all students being permitted in person learning five days a week," the page said. "We should be in school five days a week at desktops, not laptops."

When asked for comment, Stow directed Patch to his attorney James Mermigis of Syosset. The goal right now, Mermigis said, "is to get Stow back into school" and work to get the trespassing charge dropped. "We're not really thinking about the civil suit yet. The number one thing would be to get rid of this trespassing charge, which we will fully defend. We will not plea bargain," Mermigis said. "He has a constitutional right to free speech, and to freedom of assembly."

Stow, Mermigis said, "didn't hurt anybody. He didn't put anybody's life in danger. It was a peaceful protest."

Stow, Mermigis said, was "just taking a stand" because he believes that students should be in class. Stow, Mermigis said, feels the district's plan for remote learning days gives students "no direction, no Zoom call. Nothing. He believes this is inappropriate."

Stow, Mermigis added, is "an exemplary student. He was never in trouble before. He took a stance because he believes education is essential and learning at home is not what he bargained for. He's not a punk. He's a good kid from a good family. "

Also, Mermigis said Stow believes the district has "plenty of space to house every kid for in-school learning but they just weren't creative. He sees the school as wasting space and it bothered him."

Mermigis added: "He's a brave young man, in my opinion."

James Montalto, a representative for the William Floyd School District, where Stow, 17, is a senior, said: "Despite what Maverick will tell you, he was not suspended for just 'trying to go to school.' Over the course of three days, he was grossly insubordinate to multiple school personnel, squared up to a district official in a threatening manner and despite multiple conversations and opportunities to avoid suspension, continued to display insubordinate behavior. After his second attempt to enter school grounds, the Stow family received a criminal trespass warning. However, the very real possibility of arrest did nothing to dissuade him."

Montalto added: "On the third day, he showed up again, but this time with a contingent of media to capture his arrest for all the world to see. As a result of his actions over these three days, we held a superintendent’s hearing with an impartial hearing officer, who found Maverick guilty of gross insubordination for his disruptive behavior and recommended suspension for one year with senior privileges revoked."

That said, Montalto added: "If he does the right thing from this point forward, we will re-evaluate his suspension at the end of the second quarter. In the interest of transparency, Maverick and his attorney should provide the media with the full written determination of the hearing officer so you can see the truth of all that occurred. The most important thing that seems to be glossed over is that any individual — whether a suspended student or non-student — attempting to enter school grounds without authorization is treated with the utmost seriousness, especially in this day and age. Safety and security of our students and staff will always be the top priority."

Last week, the district decided Stow would remain suspended for the entire school year.

Stow initially turned up for school on a day designated for Group A students, despite the fact that he was in Group B, designated for virtual instruction students. He attended, he told Patch, to protest the district's hybrid learning plan. He was suspended and when he returned the next day, he was cited with a criminal trespassing notice. When he returned a third time, he was arrested.

According to Suffolk County police, the 17-year-old student was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing for entering school grounds after he was notified by school officials that he had been suspended and barred from campus.

Some students created a petition to speak out against Stow. The petition, "The Students of William Floyd High School Condemn the Actions of Maverick Stow," was created by Emilia Brandimarte.

"Maverick Stow's egotistical spectacle does not get to speak for what student activism looks like at William Floyd," the petition says. "We condemn Stow's actions and are embarrassed to be represented by him in any way. We do not believe that we should be deprived of our two days of in-person learning because of the actions of a single student."

The petition added: "What they don't report on is that our school attempts to pack around 3,000 students into one building," the petition says. "Social distancing would be completely impossible if students were allowed to attend every day."

Stow declined to comment on the petition created by his classmates.

School officials had warned if Stow continued with his actions, in-person instruction could be shut down for the entire high school of nearly 3,000 students. Stow did not return to campus after the arrest.

After his suspension, he told Patch, "The district seems to think students peacefully speaking their minds and making their voices heard is an unacceptable practice that seems to be disciplined quite harshly."

He said he realized showing up for classes was a "pretty extreme measure that requires a certain amount of risk."

The story gained national attention. The petition said students believe some media accounts portrayed Stow as a martyr "living up to his name" of Maverick.

Stow said he was aware of the risks of his actions.

"You have to take the consequences for standing up for what you believe in," said Stow, who lives in Mastic Beach. "My parents are fully supportive of this," he said.

"Kids need to be in school every day. Virtual learning is not learning," his mother Kaplan-Stow told ABC 7. "My son is being suspended because he wants to be in school."

Stow told Patch the district claimed there were "opportunities for us to sit and peacefully discuss this, to talk to them about the reopening plan, but there weren't. They made this decision on their own and kept us out of the whole decision-making process. It was a 'them' decision," he said. "We were never given the opportunity to voice our opinions. At a certain point, you have to take a stand and make it so they can't ignore you anymore."

The district laid out its reopening plans on its website and held virtual briefings where individuals could submit questions in advance.

Last week, Stow said: "I think that if people are very passionate about this issue we should collectively, as students and as parents of students, try to effect change. I have made it very clear that I think all kids should be able to go to school — and go five days a week. Clearly the William Floyd School District disagrees."