TX school censorship/student T-shirt

[rainbow4321]

http://www.ntimc.org/newswire.php?story_id=1525

MIDLOTHIAN - Controversy has erupted over high school senior t-shirts and the word "Hell" on the back of them, which resulted in a principal banning them and threatening a student with alternative school if she did not comply with his request for a list of students who had already bought the offensive shirts, students said

The front of the t-shirts, according to students, has "Let's get the heck out of Dodge," with the backside having "And by Dodge, I mean Midlothian, and by Heck, I mean Hell."

Later that day, a principal approached a student and asked her to provide a list of the students who ordered the shirt so they could be suspended," he said. The student did not comply, Ostroski said. When that happened, Ostroski said the principal threatened to kick her off of Honor Society and place her in alternative school.

"My legal contacts have been notified of this situation, but from the outset it looks like the same old thing," said Midlothian High School graduate Joey Dauben, who was approached by some students for help in the matter. "When will school officials and public officials get the message that our U.S. Constiutional rights are non-negotiable?"

[BamaLefty]

1. Whatever Happened to Free Speech?

That school needs to lighten up a little!

[jayctravis]

2. *technically*...

"Hell" used in that manner is a mild curseword, and when I was in school any text on shirts could get you in trouble. They would either have you turn it inside-out, put something over it, or send you home to change.

I have no problems with regulations about messages on clothing in school...I've heard some schools ask that students don't wear clothing with text of any kind just for this reason. It's not a free-speech issue. In fact, it could also be considered a religious reference, which I'd rather not see in school either.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. You are right

but this says the principal wanted the names of kids who had ORDERED the shirts. That is completely different from penalizing kids for actually WEARING these shirts.

[IowaGuy]

3. Tinker vs. Des Moines Public Schools....

mid 60's....went all the way to the Supreme Court; Des Moines Roosevelt student Tinker was suspended from school for wearing a black armband, sued DMPS under the concept that they violated his first amendment rights - Supreme court ruled against DMPS.
I wonder how todays court would rule....kind of makes me shudder to even think about it.

[1monster]

5. The middle school my son attends solved the offensive tee shirt

problem by banning non-collared shirts (dress code). Tee shirts are not allowed except on Fridays then the students can only wear the school provided (free of charge to the students)"Spirit" Tees.

I'll admit that I complained when I realized I was going to have to buy my kid a whole new wardrobe to comply with the dress code, BUT I must admit that the kids in my son's school look really nice, where the kids in the other middle schools were the dress code is more relaxed look like a grunge concert audience....

Schools need to spell out in advance what is acceptable and not acceptable in their dress codes. They cannot just make up the rules as they go along. And the principal was out of line in demanding that the student divulge which students had ordered the tee shirts. As long as they didn't wear them to school after the tee was pronounced prohibited, it is none of his business.