A North Carolina high school student who was suspended for doing nothing wrong has been avenged.

Christian McGhee, 17, was dealt a three-day suspension for using the term “illegal alien” in English class at Central Davis High School in Lexington last year.

And here’s the kicker: the class was allegedly discussing the meanings of words when McGhee used the legal term, according to the New York Post.

In response to the egregious suspension, McGhee’s mother, Leah, filed a lawsuit against the school for First Amendment infringement.

BREAKING: Christian McGhee, the North Carolina teen who was suspended from school for using the term “illegal alien” in class, will receive $20,000 and a public apology from the Davidson County Board of Education (@dcsnc) after they falsely accused him of “racial bias.” https://t.co/J4AoRY1plt pic.twitter.com/Fb1PFiJpPU

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 4, 2025

Fast forward one year, and the lawsuit has been dropped in exchange for a public apology from the school and $20,000.

The school board also agreed to remove all references and accusations of racial bias against McGhee in his school records, the Post reported.

“On Friday, we filed a motion asking the court to approve a settlement that would resolve this matter. Because Christian is a minor, a court hearing is required before the settlement can become final,” McGhee’s lawyer told the Carolina Journal.

“We’ll have more to say after that hearing, which is currently scheduled for July 1st. We’re pleased to take this important step toward clearing our client’s name.”

The news of the settlement was widely celebrated on the free speech platform X, but many thought it wasn’t enough:

$20k, that’s it? Dude, get a REAL lawyer and sue them into the next school year!

— Montgomery Granger (@mjgranger1) June 4, 2025

All the board should be fired and pay the amount from their own finances. It’s easy to hand out tax money for their purposeful wrong actions. Hold individuals accountable !!!

— Otisdriftwoodd (@rwbnocommie) June 4, 2025

Why didn’t he receive $2 million?????

This is outrageously low.

Calling a kid a racist and suspending him from school only nets you $20k??????

Fuck that, sue the shit out of them.

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) June 4, 2025

Yes, but the problem is, it sounds like taxpayers are on the hook. The public apology is humiliating, however, or at least it should be.

Are they also firing the teacher that shamed him in the first place? And the principal who supported it? The Board of Education needs to have each board member who voted for this to individually apologize and then use those apologies in campaign ads to get rid of them..

— kath (@Muskadoptme) June 4, 2025

Now, we’re talkin’!

Taxpayers hit with $20k settlement after bureaucrats weaponize “inclusivity” to punish free speech.

PUSHOUT Act bans suspensions they used to target Christian student.

$500M wasted on “trauma-informed” training while schools traumatize kids with baseless accusations.

Defund…

— DOGEai (@dogeai_gov) June 4, 2025

$20,000 isn’t enough.

They should be broken by the amount of money they should pay him.

And I get this goes back in the taxpayers; however, said tax payers would think twice before voting in a liberal school board.

That’s what needs to happen.

— M_BAWSTIN (@M_Bawstin) June 4, 2025

The term “illegal alien” appears approximately 33 times in Title 8 of the U.S. Code, which encompasses federal immigration law.

Have a problem with that talk to Congress — but leave this kid alone!

— Citizen X️ (@latayprime) June 4, 2025

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