ACLU Sues School Over Gay Pride Shirt Ban

[Bob Hubbard]

ACLU Sues School Over Gay Pride Shirt Ban

Author: Fox News Source: Fox News

Title: ACLU SUES SCHOOL OVER GAY PRIDE SHIRT BAN

The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday sued a southwest Missouri school district for prohibiting a high school student from wearing gay pride-themed T-shirts.

The district has said the T-shirts were disruptive and therefore a violation of school dress code. The lawsuit filed in federal court also names Webb City High School Principal Stephen P. Gollhofer.

"Because I'm gay, my school is trying to take away my constitutional right as an American to express myself," the student, Brad Mathewson, said in a statement.

"The school lets other students wear anti-gay T-shirts, and I understand that they have a right to do that," he said. "I just want the same right." Options: [Read Full Story]


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Teen Who Wore Gay-Themed T-Shirts To School Brings ACLU In Case

Author: Steve Rock, Knight Ridder Newspapers Source: Kentucky.com (KY)

Title: TEEN WHO WORE GAY-THEMED T-SHIRTS TO SCHOOL BRINGS ACLU IN CASE

Whether the townsfolk know it or not, Webb City, in the southwest corner of Missouri, has become a battleground in the gay rights movement.

The debate hasn't yet reached front-burner status at such places as the Bradbury Bishop Deli on the downtown square. Scores of locals know very little or nothing about it.

But that could change. Soon.

Twice in the last two weeks, Brad Mathewson, a junior at Webb City High School, was instructed by school officials to change T-shirts that bore gay rights themes. The first of the two incidents prompted Mathewson to contact the American Civil Liberties Union.

Now the ACLU is actively involved. The organization has engaged a local lawyer, shipped out news releases en masse and met with school officials.

Additional Article Link: [Click HERE]

 

[raedyn]

The school says his shirt is a distraction. It's a way bigger distraction now that the school went and made a big deal out of it!

Why wasn't his (straight) friend's "I love lesbians" shirt the same day considered 'distracting', and ordered removed?

To the credit of the school's administration, they also told the student wearing the "God made Adam & Eve not Adam & Steve" t-shirt stop wearing it to school -- but not until after the ACLU announced they were taking up the case.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

The school is endorsing an anti-gay position, plain and simple. They say that the shirt is the cause of the disruption, as opposed to the students who gave a hostile response to it. If there weren't any such hostile responses, then what disruption is involved?

 

[Rynocerous]

I find this absolutly appaulling! I hope that they win this suit. If the students were allowed to where anti-gay shirts, then this young man should be allowed to wear his Gay Pride shirt. I personally don't like it when people wear that kind of stuff, but we cannot have a double standard. I think the kids who were wearing these anit-gay shirt should had been punished. Just my opinion, and my two cents.

Great thread by the way, should spark many good posts.

Cheers,

Ryan

 

[raedyn]

There wasn't a hostile response to the shirt, other than the school's. The boy wearing the shirt said one kid called him f.a.g.g.o.t as he left the school but "that's nothing unusual".

(hey I didn't know the software wouldn't let me type that word. cool.)

 

[Bob Hubbard]

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[Lisa]

That whole thing is ridiculous. I have heard/seen much worse on Tshirts worn by students even back in my high school days. I find it interesting that he exchange d Tshirts with his friend and his friend didn't get into trouble. Makes one wonder if he was being singled out. I guess everyone has a different opinion on what is vulgar/obscene an in bad taste. Kudos to this young man for having the strength and perseverence to stand up for what he believes to be right. I hope he is victorious.

 

[Oak Bo]

That whole thing is ridiculous. I have heard/seen much worse on Tshirts worn by students even back in my high school days. I find it interesting that he exchange d Tshirts with his friend and his friend didn't get into trouble. Makes one wonder if he was being singled out. I guess everyone has a different opinion on what is vulgar/obscene an in bad taste. Kudos to this young man for having the strength and perseverence to stand up for what he believes to be right. I hope he is victorious.

Yup agree with ya Nalia on that thought.
I saw much worse then this, and nobody seemed offended by it.
:idunno:

 

[Ping898]

That whole thing is ridiculous. I have heard/seen much worse on Tshirts worn by students even back in my high school days. I find it interesting that he exchange d Tshirts with his friend and his friend didn't get into trouble. Makes one wonder if he was being singled out. I guess everyone has a different opinion on what is vulgar/obscene an in bad taste. Kudos to this young man for having the strength and perseverence to stand up for what he believes to be right. I hope he is victorious.

My guess is he was being singled out because he was openly gay. The friend was straight I am assuming and agreed there was nothing wrong with the t-shirts so wore them. I have found many times, that people who are against homosexuality can deal with someone who is not gay wearing t-shirts and supporting gay right easier than someone who is gay being open and up front about it. IMHO what the school did was wrong. It was one sided and sounds like the school needs to work on their levels of tolerance. I have a lot of respect for the kid being open about who he is though. Many adults can't bring themselves to do it let alone a teenager. I am glad his mother is supporting him and letting him fight this battle which I think needs to be played out. Hopefully he will win.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I think this'll be an interesting court case. Supposedly the Bush re-election was due to the Gay marriage issue...just last year the Supreme Court overturned sodomy laws in thirteen states. Where will this one go?

I saw Kinsey tonight with my wife. I'll be interested in reaction to this movie, given its strong pro-homosexuality message. In one scene a man is being interviewed by Kinsey (Liam Neesen) and he tells how his brothers caught him in a soiree with another lad. They branded both the boys. They were thirteen.

Not really related to this topic...but the issue of discrimination in this case called into mind what Kinsey hoped to do--release the world of its ignorance and bigotry.

Great flick.

Regards,


Steve

 

[MisterMike]

People should keep their sexuality to themselves, or at least off the backs of their shirts so the kid behind them can concentrate on what the teacher's writing on the chalkboard.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Yeah, for that matter they should keep their politics to themselves, and their religions. Nobody needs to hear about those. While we're at it, we should keep them from expressing any opinion in class; wouldn't want to break anyone's concentration, or concept of reality, you know?

C'mon, man, this country's founded on free speech, and not censoring opinions just because they might upset someone. That applies to the kids in the classroom just as much as it does to adults in any public forum ("Tinker v. Des Moines", 393 US 503, 1969.) Besides, do we really want to blame the student wearing the shirt for the fact that another student couldn't handle seeing it?

 

[Darksoul]

-I don't know, its one thing to have an opinion, another to openly promote hate is some way. School situations are a pain, since the students are supposed to be there primarily for learning. Should kids have the same rights to free speech, when in threatens others? What if a group of students at the school went after the gay student to assault him? They may have already had that hate and bigotry already, but what if a simple tee-shirt sets them off? Why take the chance? Just as its easier to destroy than to create, its easier to hate than to love.


A---)

 

[RandomPhantom700]

His free speech didn't threaten anybody, not even himself, and to say that it did, or to say that it's a disruption, is basically to endorse and permit the hateful response that did not, in fact, originate from the t-shirt, but from the other students.

If the goal is to crack down on violence and prevent these kinds of things from occurring, I'd say punish the students who harrass or assault in response to something as unthreatening as a t-shirt, rather than the student who decides to wear the shirt, since the responsibility for the harrassment or assault truly lies with the former.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

People should keep their sexuality to themselves, or at least off the backs of their shirts so the kid behind them can concentrate on what the teacher's writing on the chalkboard.

I doubt its that much of a distraction, Mike. It takes a second to read "Gay Pride." The kid didn't have a tome printed in small print on the shirt.

If a kid wore a heterosexual pride t-shirt would you feel the same?

Straights set the tone for all the social functions in the school. They set the theme for the dances and the proms. Many schools ban same sex couples showing up at these events and having any public displays of affection--whereas straight couples are allowed to do so within certain parameters.

So a kid decides to out himself and let it be known that he's gay and proud of it. Big whoop.


Regards,


Steve

 

[deadhand31]

One thing I find funny, the ACLU didn't come in to aid this kid who wore a "Straight Pride" t-shirt (though the state supreme court said he could):

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=22891

I think if a kid can wear a "Gay Pride" shirt, then they should also let a kid wear a "Straight Pride" shirt.

You see, I support the first amendment to the fullest extent. I think if there can be gay pride rallies, then there can be rallies for those who oppose homosexuality. I think if there can be an assembly for those who wish for racial equality, then there can be assemblies for those who are against it.

Don't get me wrong, I believe anyone can do what they want, and I'm for racial equality. But one thing I think is great about America, ANYONE can say ANYTHING they want, even if I find it disagreeable. It's everyone's right as an American, and I say to hell with anyone who would restrict that right.

 

[MisterMike]

I would feel the same because I don't think it's appropriate to be worn in school. Just as you probably couldn't wear a shirt to work that reads "Mustache Rides - $.05". It used to be that you could make a statement or express yourself with what you wore without it having words written all over it.

School Uniforms anyone? Dress codes? Discipline? Eh, forget that one. It's Publick Skooltyme.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I would feel the same because I don't think it's appropriate to be worn in school. Just as you probably couldn't wear a shirt to work that reads "Mustache Rides - $.05". It used to be that you could make a statement or express yourself with what you wore without it having words written all over it.

School Uniforms anyone? Dress codes? Discipline? Eh, forget that one. It's Publick Skooltyme.

"Gay pride" is a political statement. "Mustache rides" is vulgar.

I'm all for dress codes. But in accordance with what you're saying you'd have to have one banning ALL political statements, which isn't going to happen. Shall we ban "Support our troops" t-shirts? How about the USMC t-shirt Uncle Dave brings us when he's on leave? No logos or names from sports teams? We could do as the Catholic schools do and require a plain shirt with a collar, but you'll quickly find students and parents up in arms over such a restriction. Public schools in general aren't going to enforce this.

As for self-expression with what one wears, that too has been banned. Kids across the country were banned from wearing black trenchcoats after Columbine. Ducktail hairstyles were banned in the fifties. Both were deemed to cause delinquency.

This is a distraction, Mike. You know such restrictions as you advocate aren't going to take place on a universal scale, and you know they weren't applied in this instance.

Let's get back to the point. The issue is one of freedom for a Gay teenager. A different standard of conduct has been applied to that teenager than has been applied to the rest of the student body. This is heterosexism.


Regards,


Steve

 

[shesulsa]

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[Bob Hubbard]

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