The lawsuit says the 14-year-old was bruised after a school resource officer withheld his backpack and restrained him outside a middle school.
A Black Missouri mother is suing Springfield Public Schools and a school resource officer, alleging her 14-year-old son was racially discriminated against and physically restrained while waiting for his sister outside Pipkin Middle School.
The discrimination lawsuit is the latest in a series of cases involving Black students, including allegations against a Chicago school in 2025 and a 20222 claim by parents of two Black students in Texas that school officials failed to protect their children.
Attorney Ben Stringer filed the lawsuit on Aug. 22 in Greene County Circuit Court on behalf of Keisha Teague and her minor son, identified as L.B. The suit names Springfield Public Schools and school resource officer J. Douglas Hinkle as defendants.
The complaint says L.B., who attended another Springfield school, was outside Pipkin on Sept. 11, 2025, when another student grabbed his beanie and ran. L.B. removed his backpack as he tried to get the hat back. When he returned, the complaint alleges Hinkle had taken the backpack and refused to return it, telling the teenager it would be treated as abandoned property.
The suit claims Hinkle then grabbed L.B.’s arm after the teen reached for the bag, squeezed hard enough to cause bruising and swelling, and directed another officer to restrain his other arm. It also alleges Hinkle accused L.B. of hitting him, which the family disputes.
Teague later took her son to an emergency room, where the lawsuit says bruising and swelling were documented. The complaint further alleges that Hinkle later acknowledged he had acted out of frustration and handled the situation improperly.
The suit was filed on grounds of discrimination in public accommodations based on race and color. It alleges L.B.’s race and color were motivating factors in the defendants’ conduct and that he was denied equal use of school grounds and facilities. Springfield Public Schools denies the allegations.
Chief Communications Officer Stephen Hall said the system has a nondiscrimination policy, investigates complaints and will dispute the allegations in court.
Teague and her son seek compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at trial, along with attorneys’ fees, court costs, interest and other relief.
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