The lawyers representing four Gallup High School students accused of being part of an April Fools' Day prank filed a petition at the McKinley County Courthouse, demanding that officials let the seniors return to school.
In addition to calling for a stop to their so-called illegal suspension, the petition referenced the school's offer to force the students to sign a contract or face expulsion and criminal charges, KOB 4 reported.
"The most shocking thing to me is the fact that the school is requiring students to basically self-incriminate themselves," Brittany Schaffer, an Albuquerque criminal defense attorney, told KOB 4. "And, while I don't believe there's going to be criminal charges, it's just the amount of constitutional violations is just shocking."
The prank involved toilet paper, glitter, and streamers, KOB 4 said. A police report on the ordeal found that $0 in damages was caused to the school; nevertheless, the school administration is pushing back and seeking charges, including breaking and entering and destroying private property.
KOB 4 noted that the students' attorneys claimed the school administration is infringing on the seniors' rights to due process.
Along with what they believe is an unconstitutional contract, the attorneys accused the school of violating its own code for suspending the students without a prior hearing, KOB 4 reported.