Ohio school district sued for banning 'Jesus Is Not a Homophobe' Tee

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   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   Ohio school district sued for banning 'Jesus Is Not a Homophobe' T-shirt
   An Ohio high school student says school officials are violating his freedom of expression because they won’t let him wear a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Jesus Is Not a Homophobe.”
   
   The shirt, high school student Maverick Couch told the Cincinnati Enquirer, is designed to show support for the "Day of Silence," on April 20, a national event that puts a spotlight on how bullying keeps gay and lesbian students from speaking out.
   http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/ … be-t-shirt
   have the kids and parents gone too far,pushing the Freedom Of Speech, defense with a lawsuit?

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      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This is actually a tough one for me.  Ultimately I'm gonna come down on the side of the kid because there is no ban on wearing religious symbols to school and the word "homophobe" is certainly not sexually in nature.  The message itself is no more indecent than a t-shirt with a man nailed to a cross.  So no, it isn't too far for the parents to bring a lawyer in because there is an inequity in the law that violates the separation of church and state.  All views or none.
      
      You know I love you L.L. but I've got to agree with Stacie too.  School should be about education and politics distracts from that at high-school level and below.  If it were a college setting it would be different.

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         livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Well, maybe. I don't remember t-shirts being banned in my high school unless they were obscene, but, well, it's been more than a few years since I've been in high school.

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   Eric Newlandposted 12 years ago

   "Maverick Couch told the Enquirer that school officials said the shirt was “indecent and sexual in nature.”"
   
   Yes, that's total crap reasoning. From the description the article gives there's nothing untoward about the shirt at all apart from having a message that some would disagree with.
   
   When I was in high school every third guy it seemed owned at least one "Big Johnson" shirt and freely wore it to school. No one ever said a word.

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      Stacie Lposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Today there is so many more outlets to get your message across. on the 'net
      People want notoriety and any message shirt that is disrupting to the learning process,is unacceptable.
      I beleive in school dress codes and wrote about it. These can be worn after school hours.

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         livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I think that t-shirt has a message that would be educational to more than just a few students (and teachers).

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            Stacie Lposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yes I agree,but attend any school board meetings lately?
            They don't want any controversial subjects that may instigate a riot or cause more bullying.

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               livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               No, I haven't! As I said before, my personal experience is really well out of date . If school boards today have different standards as you and Melissa have said, then I can certainly understand your position.

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                  Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Do they? Not my experience, nor my son's. Clearly school boards would not want any controversy that instigated a riot. And, let's face it, after the riots they would not want their hypocracy highlighted. Have to disagree with you, Melissa. This is not a political issue, tis a human rights issue. And, when an individuals human rights are breached, particularly in a learning environment, so is their education. It needs to be addressed, just like racism and sexism. Equality in education is paramount. If we shrug it off as "activism" we are denying a lot of children the right of passage.

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         Eric Newlandposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I see what you're saying and I even tend to agree. In this case, though, it's all about whether there's a double standard.

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   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   Ist ev'rybody becoming good little Nazis? You would be shocked if you knew what is not allowed in your local school. Pink Floyd "The Wall" really comes to mind.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

   It is just a cause oriented statement - the one printed in the shirt!
   
   That high school in Ohio is a guinea pig. I think this is part of a process so that next time, other school (high school) district boards will be more careful in stating clearly what are the specific type of clothes marks or prints allowed! Rules are vague and sweeping mostly when you look at handbooks.

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   carterchasposted 12 years ago

   To me, this is easy.
   
   This is clearly a question of political speech which the Supreme Court has ruled is protected, even in schools. The T-shirt isn't about sex; it's about fear of homosexuals. 
   
   The school board might have a case if it promoted homosexuality.  But it doesn't.  It is simply a commet about attitudes.

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   carterchasposted 12 years ago

   In 1968, the Supreme Court said that poltical speech was protected unless it caused a disruption...and because the school didn't like or approve of it did not constitute a disruption.
   School uniforms came after my time in school, but the schools are still not exempt from the rules of political speech. 
   I suggest you read this article (from the A.C.L.U.).

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