Cheerleader who knelt during singing of national anthem is suing University

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Thursday, September 20, 2018
Cheerleader who knelt during singing of national anthem is suing University
Cheerleader who knelt during singing of national anthem is suing University. Rick Williams reports during Action News at 5 p.m. on September 19, 2018.

A cheerleader is suing her university saying the school in Georgia violated her first amendment rights.

Tommia Dean and 4 other cheerleaders at Kennesaw State University took a knee during the national anthem last season.

This threw the school into the national spotlight and they spent the next few games in the field tunnel when the anthem played.

Dean didn't make the squad this year and in a federal lawsuit she filed on September 5, she says the experience has caused her to suffer an increase in migraine headaches and also emotional distress.

Dean spoke out today on The View.

"I never want to come across as disrespectful to the military. That's not what this about. It is simply about standing up for police brutality against minorities, that's simply it. For many people who are out there in the military, I would never want to disrespect them. It's honorable what people do in the military. You're standing up for your country which is amazing," she said.

The university says it can't comment on pending litigation.

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