A Missouri mother says her 14-year-old son was bruised at school over a backpack. Now a racial discrimination lawsuit is raising questions

A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against Springfield Public Schools and a school resource officer, alleging racial discrimination and excessive physical restraint of a 14-year-old Black student in Missouri.

The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 22 in Greene County Circuit Court by attorney Ben Stringer on behalf of Keisha Teague and her minor son, identified in legal documents as L.B., has sparked questions about the role of rule enforcement in schools and the treatment of minority students.

The complaint names Springfield Public Schools and school resource officer J. Douglas Hinkle as defendants, with the family seeking compensatory damages for physical injuries, emotional distress and alleged violations of L.B.’s civil rights.

The school staff claims the minor was violent with them

According to The Grio, the incident happened on Sept. 11, 2025, outside Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Missouri. According to the complaint, L.B., who attended a different school within the district, was waiting on school grounds for his sister to finish her classes.

While he was waiting, another student allegedly approached him, grabbed his beanie and ran away in an attempt to get him to chase after him. L.B. reportedly took off his heavy backpack and left it on the ground while he briefly chased after the student to get his hat back.

When L.B. returned, he allegedly found that Hinkle had taken his backpack. The lawsuit claims that when the teenager asked for his property back, Hinkle refused and told him the bag would instead be processed as abandoned property.

Things quickly escalated when L.B. reached toward his backpack to take it back. According to the complaint, Hinkle grabbed the teenager’s arm and squeezed it with significant force. The lawsuit alleges that the encounter left L.B. with visible bruising and substantial swelling.

The complaint further claims that Hinkle instructed another school officer to restrain L.B.’s other arm, leaving the teenager completely restrained outside the school.

After the encounter, Hinkle allegedly accused L.B. of striking him. The Teague family and their attorney strongly dispute that claim.

Keisha Teague later took her son to a local emergency room, where medical staff reportedly treated and documented his injuries, including bruising and swelling on his arms.

The complaint also makes another allegation about Hinkle’s conduct. According to the lawsuit, the officer later acknowledged that personal frustration had influenced his actions and admitted that he had handled the situation improperly.

The family argues that what started as a dispute over a backpack turned into an unnecessary physical confrontation involving a 14-year-old student. The lawsuit also alleges that L.B.’s treatment was influenced by racial discrimination.

The school denies the accusations

Springfield Public Schools responded through Chief Communications Officer Stephen Hall, who said the district enforces nondiscrimination policies. He also said that cases involving such allegations are investigated.

The district is now preparing its defense as the lawsuit moves forward. The allegations in the complaint have not been proven in court, and Hinkle is presumed innocent unless and until the claims against him are established through the legal process.