Settlement reached after students expelled for making 'evil teddy bear' movie

WAVE TV3.com reports:

Three Knightstown (Indiana) students and their families will receive $69,000 each to settle a civil rights lawsuit over the students' expulsions for making a movie in which evil teddy bears attack a teacher.

The settlement was approved by the school board and made public Tuesday.

The lawsuit resulted from a dispute over a movie titled "The Teddy Bear Master" made by four students. School officials saw the movie as a threat to a Knightstown Intermediate School teacher and expelled the four.

Three of the students sued, saying the expulsion violated their First Amendment rights.
As part of the settlement, two of the students were required to write a letter of apology to the teacher and his wife.

The school's insurance company will cover the cost of the settlement.