Teens kicked out of prestigious school for ‘Blackface’ win $1 million after jury agrees they were just wearing acne face masks

Two teenagers who were kicked out of their prestigious Catholic school after being accused of wearing blackface have received a huge payout.

The incident, stemming from a misconstrued photo, has sparked discussions about fairness and accountability in private high schools across the state, per the New York Post.

The students, identified only as A.H. and H.H., were just 14 years old when they posed for a photo during a sleepover in 2017.

The image captured them wearing a green acne face mask, purchased by one of the boys’ mothers, in solidarity with a friend who suffered from severe acne.

The students were expelled after this image emerged. Credit: Superior Court of California

However, the light green treatment turned dark green when dry, leading to confusion years later.

Their selfie unexpectedly resurfaced in 2020, amid the heightened tensions of the Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd.

The image went viral, triggering a chain of events that led to their expulsion from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View in the same year.

This week, a Santa Clara County jury ruled in favor of the teens, agreeing that the school had breached an oral contract and denied them due process before expulsion, as reported by the Daily Mail.

The teens were each awarded $500,000 in damages, in addition to having their $70,000 tuition reimbursed.

Other images showed the boys applying the acne cream. Credit: Superior Court of California

Krista Baughman, one of the attorneys representing the students, emphasized the significance of the ruling, stating: “This case is significant not only for our clients but for its groundbreaking effect on all private high schools in California.”

In response to the verdict, A.H.’s family expressed gratitude to the jury and the court system for helping “our boys and our families find justice.”

The settlement not only compensates the teens monetarily but also clears their names of the accusations made against them.

While the lawsuit initially sought $20 million in damages, the jury rejected some of the claims made by the boys, including defamation and violation of free speech.

Representatives for Saint Francis High School stated they “respectfully disagree” with the jury’s decision and are considering legal options, including a possible appeal.

“This lawsuit is our attempt to redeem our names and reputations, and to correct the record to reflect the truth of what actually happened,” the boys’ families said in a joint statement at the time.

The teens provided evidence that they used acne cream. Credit: Superior Court of California

“A photograph of this innocent event was plucked from obscurity and grossly mischaracterized during the height of nationwide social unrest.

“It was quite clear the jury believed these were innocent face masks,’ attorney Krista Baughman told the San Francisco Chronicle after Monday’s judgment.

“They are young kids, their internet trail is going to haunt them for the next 60 years. Now they don’t have to worry about that.”