Reid Sagehorn in settlement talks with police, school district over 1st amendment violation

ROGERS, Minn. (KMSP) - The teenager who was expelled from Rogers High School after joking about making out with a teacher is in settlement talks with police and the Elk River School District.

In 2014, Reid Sagehorn’s two-word tweet turned into an extended suspension for him and it spawned a student movement in Rogers in his defense. The hashtag #FreeReid became a rallying cry for students.

Sagehorn simply responded "actually yes” to a question posed online whether he'd "made out" with a teacher. He claimed it was sarcastic, but the school claimed it “damaged a teacher’s reputation.”

After Hennepin County declined to charge him, Sagehorn sued the district for violating his first and 14 amendment rights and the Rogers Police Department chief for defamation.

In August, the district and department tried to get the suit tossed out, arguing the first amendment does not protect “obscene” language. The judge wrote in the ruling that "actually yes" is in no way obscene.