NEW ORLEANS – The family of a Louisiana high school girl has sued the Jefferson Parish school board over her expulsion last year, arguing that her bringing a pocketknife to school was “inadvertent and unintentional.”
Plaintiffs Revius Norris and Valeria Norris, on behalf of their minor daughter, L.L.N., filed their lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the 25-page filing, L.L.N., 14, was a “high-achieving” freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Parish with a “perfect” Grade Point Average and a “promising future ahead of her.”
She had no significant disciplinary history, had earned admission to the high school through a competitive testing process, assisted the school’s track team, and participated in recreational cheerleading.
L.L.N. was expelled for the remainder of the 2026 academic semester and faces expulsion for the entirety of the 2026-27 school year, according to the lawsuit.
Her parents argue that “with no meaningful administrative recourse remaining available,” they have been forced to file the lawsuit.
They describe the events that led to her expulsion as an “inadvertent mistake that should never have escalated to this extent.”
During the 2026 Mardi Gras season, L.L.N. traveled to New Orleans with friends to attend parade festivities and brought a spare backpack to carry parade throws.
Prior to leaving, L.L.N.’s father, a military veteran, required her to take a pocketknife for personal safety for her trip into New Orleans. The pocketknife is small and unassuming in weight, the lawsuit states.
On March 19, 2026, shortly after the conclusion of Mardi Gras season, L.L.N. planned to assist the track team after school and brought the same backpack she had previously used during the parade festivities.
Before leaving for school, she placed extra clothing and fruit intended for the track team into the backpack. She allegedly had forgotten that the knife her father provided remained inside a pocket.
Upon arriving at school, L.L.N. was required to go through a metal detector. She proceeded through the detector carrying her school backpack, purse, and the track backpack. Unaware that the pocketknife remained inside the track backpack, she inadvertently triggered the metal detector.
School personnel searched her items, discovering the pocketknife deep inside the track backpack. Soon after, L.L.N. was escorted to the principal’s office.
She contends she “immediately” explained to school officials that she had forgotten the knife her father provided her during Mardi Gras was still in the track backpack.
“L.L.N. took responsibility for her actions and understood the seriousness of the mistake. L.L.N. provided a written statement and stated: ‘I would never bring an object like that to school intentionally,’” the lawsuit states.
L.L.N., her parents, and Principal Erika Russell then met; Russell explained that she was required to recommend L.L.N.’s expulsion, but that the superintendent could modify it.
“L.L.N. has been deprived of her constitutional right to a free public education for more than two months as a result of Defendant’s improper application of LSA-R.S. §17:416, the failure to exercise reasonable judgment and common sense in enforcing the statute, and significant procedural and substantive due process violations, all of which now warrant court intervention,” her parents’ lawsuit states.
According to the filing, on April 2, 2026, a conference was held. At the conference, the principal told the hearing officer that she did not believe L.L.N. intentionally brought the pocketknife onto campus and provided a favorable character statement on her behalf.
L.L.N.’s father, an Air Force veteran, also testified that the pocketknife belonged to him and that he provided it for his daughter’s safety during Mardi Gras.
Nevertheless, the hearing officer proceeded with her expulsion.
The Norris family argues that the law expressly permits the “exercise of discretion” by the school system under certain circumstances, and also allows the modification of an expulsion.
“It also allows a probationary readmission by the superintendent for a child expelled,” the lawsuit states.
“However, in this matter, it is apparent that such discretion was neither recognized nor meaningfully exercised, resulting in an unreasonable and inequitable application of the statute.”
The Norris family appealed the expulsion decision to the school board.
On May 6, 2026, the Norris family, along with several character witnesses, appeared for the Jefferson Parish School Board hearing.
They claim they had been advised only that the hearing would occur on that day and time, but were provided with no additional instructions, procedural guidance, or documentation regarding the appeal process.
They allege they were never called to present their case or testimony, and that the agenda item regarding their daughter’s expulsion was never called.
It wasn’t until the hearing concluded – at nearly 10 that night – that they were informed they needed to complete and submit a “speaker card” to be recognized and permitted to speak.
“Without ever being afforded an opportunity to present their case or otherwise be heard by the School Board, the School Board subsequently upheld the expulsion recommendation at some
point during the proceedings, unbeknownst to the Norris family at the time,” the lawsuit states, adding that the school board has taken the position the matter was heard that day.
According to the suit, the school board notified the Norris family on July 13, 2026 that it had no intent to modify the discipline or readmit L.L.N. on a probationary basis. The Norris family filed their lawsuit four days later.
They seek an injunction enjoining the school board from enforcing the expulsion and barring her re-enrollment at the high school for the 2026-27 school year, and from requiring her to enroll in an alternative school to avoid truancy charges.
They also seek a review of the school board’s decision by the federal court, compensatory damages and attorney fees.
Sternberg Naccari & White LLC in New Orleans is representing the Norris family in the suit.
