Teen suspended for wearing 'freedom of expression' T-shirt

Teen suspended for wearing 'freedom of expression' T-shirt.

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=15233

By The Associated Press

05.09.05

TIFTON, Ga. — A teenager was back in class on May 6 after receiving a one-day suspension for wearing a T-shirt with slogans including “freedom of expression” and “don’t drink and drive” that school administrators considered disruptive.

Hanna Smith, 18, a junior at Tift County High School, said Principal Mike Duck told her that if she wore the shirt again she would be suspended for the remainder of the year.

The principal was arrested six years ago for DUI and running a stop sign, The Tifton Gazette said May 6 in a story on Smith’s suspension. Duck made a public apology for the DUI and was himself suspended for five days.

Smith’s mother, Tracy Fletcher, said she would defend her daughter’s right to express herself, even if it meant hiring an attorney and taking the case to court.

“They want everyone to fit into a mold, and there’s no room for individuality. These kids are our future, I think they should be treated with a little more respect. Their opinions count. Their thoughts count,” Fletcher said.

The principal confirmed that Smith was back in class on May 6 without the banned T-shirt, which also had a peace symbol on the front and “Veritas,” which means truth, written on the back.

On May 6, Smith wore a different T-shirt, this one reading “Don’t Underestimate Individuality,” her mother said. The first letters of those words spell “DUI.” Her mother said the teen planned to wear the banned T-shirt again today.

Duck said he could not comment on the suspension.

“We can’t discuss children and their issue,” he said. “It’s a matter of privacy and protection of their rights.”

The school system’s dress code forbids disruptive clothing, grooming and symbols. Principals decide what’s disruptive.

“I have an obligation to maintain an orderly environment,” Duck said. “The courts give me the authority and the right to make those decisions and as long as I’m sitting in this chair that’s what I’m going to do.”

There have been other recent controversies in the school over students’ T-shirts, the Gazette reported. In one instance, a student was asked to change or be suspended for wearing a shirt bearing an anarchy symbol. In response, 40 students, including Smith, came to school the next day wearing shirts bearing various “freedom” slogans, the newspaper said.

Smith said she learned about constitutional rights, such as freedom of expression, in class and wishes school officials would honor them.

“I think it’s silly that we can’t practice the freedoms that they teach us here,” Smith said. “You would think that school officials would have respect for the law and people’s rights, or at least they should.”

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I have no idea what some school administrators are thinking. How come, though, I keep repeatedly hearing of similiar stories?

Good for the Principal.

i guess i can see how this could be considered disruptive if they were having problems with it in the past. doesnt suspension seem a bit harsh though?

We used to wear "Big Johnson" shirts to school. :laugh:

Originally posted by Kilmer17

Good for the Principal.

Last time you said that it exploded into a 10 page thread.

Originally posted by Kilmer17

Good for the Principal.

I disagreed with Kilmer in the other school clothing thread, but in this one I happen to agree. Personally, I think a DUI warrants more than a five-day suspension, but that's a completely different thread.

This is not about the girl's freedom of expression, and the thread title is misleading. The shirts, at least the ones referencing the DUI, were blatant attacks on the principal and not appropriate in a school.

I think the Principal should replace the U in his last name to an I.

Haha, not suprising that Kilmer sides with the principal.

I ride the fence on this one...however, if the principal got busted for the DUI 6 years ago, that means this girl was in 7th or 8th grade...obviously this dude still is touchy about it, so much that the mention of a DUI or hint of it that he thinks its an attack on him. And I agree, 5 days is a slap on the wrist.

Haven't older, uptight people figured out that by suspending a student they call more attention to the problem? Case in point, this Duck donkey makes an example of this student and the next day 40 kids come in wearing shirts that are "offensive"...next thing, this is a news story...In the words of Jim Morrison..."The old get older and the young get stronger...They got the guns but we got the numbers..."

There may be more to this story then meets the eye. That's very possible and cannot be dismissed. But I remember going to high school during the 80's, and kids in my HS wore stuff then that now is sometimes considered "disruptive," and I didn't really any disruption cause by the clothing. For example, I remember me and some friends wore trenchcoats for a while (with no relation with the later trenchcoat mafia). I am not sure why we started it, but we thought they were cool jackets and it was part of our scene. Deep down, the jackets didn't really mean anything. The teachers thought it was a little oddball, but we didn't cause chaos in school, and a huge fuss was never made over it. These days, I don't think it would be possible, since they would think we were a "gang" or something. This is not to say, though, that my experience in a suburban school is applicable to every school. Where do you find a balance?

Sometimes, I think the fuss over some clothing is worse then the article of clothing itself. It you make a fuss, it sometimes gets worse then the actual subject itself.

Maybe it's just me, but "Don't Drink and Drive" is now a disruptive slogan? Im not talking about the other shirts. I'm talking about the one for which she was suspended. That's kind of scary that there could be enough oppostition to this message that it is disruptive. I guess they canceled all the Mothers Against Drunk Driving displays at that school too huh?

So the principal is a little sensitive to people saying don't drink and drive. Sorry, but just because you got caught DUI years ago doesn't mean you get to be sensitive and think you are being mocked by every MADD slogan out there. Geez, and you guys call the the liberals of political correctness the thought police. Wow.

Again, the principal does get to decide what's disruptive, but like the other case I wonder about about any decision making process that leads him to such a rediculous (on the face of it) outcome. I don't question the principals legal right to suspend the student. I question the wisdom of doing so.

Originally posted by Destino

We used to wear "Big Johnson" shirts to school. :laugh:

:laugh: those shirts were great. i had a co-ed naked beach volleyball one.

i keep saying it, but the principals think they are all high and mighty on their thrones. when they see a kid on stilts challenging them, they order them to get off, or be thrown off.

On it's own, I dont think it's disruptive. But the combination clearly is. The girl was wearing it to disrupt and embarass the Principal. Whether he deserved it or not isnt the issue. Either way, it was disruptive.

Exactly, the DUI shirts weren't exactly crazy, wild slogans. And I would guess that many students and their parents didn't even know about the principle's past history and his DUI. If they didn't and they read this article, they do now.

Every decision made my principles and administrators are not the best ones, so should we applaud every action they make, just by virtue of their title?

On it's own, I dont think it's disruptive. But the combination clearly is. The girl was wearing it to disrupt and embarass the Principal. Whether he deserved it or not isnt the issue. Either way, it was disruptive.

Was it really? Perhaps. But we do not know. Also, was it possible that the principle could have IGNORE it, even if it was? Was it possible that many people wouldn't even see the acronym on the shirt, let alone who it was directed toward?

We have no idea if this was the student's intention, but the principle, an adult, could have simply ignored the shirt. Of course, for all we know, they students have been attempting to harrass him - he is allowed to move on with his life if he payed his dues for his crime - so that is always something to consider.

Originally posted by Kilmer17

On it's own, I dont think it's disruptive. But the combination clearly is. The girl was wearing it to disrupt and embarass the Principal. Whether he deserved it or not isnt the issue. Either way, it was disruptive.

Oh, clearly. How can you prove it?

Could it be that the Veritas shirt that she wore could be a tribute to....

"I think they should be treated with a little more respect. Their opinions count. "

No they shouldn't and no they don't. They will get respect when they earn it. Their opinions mean didley. They are there to learn. The students ought to respect their teachers, not the other way around.

I'm so tired of hearing these stories of parents trying to sue the schools because their child has been so tragically wronged. Give me a frickin break. It is a shirt. Her wourld isn't going to end because she can't wear it to school.

You want to ***** and moan about principals on power trips when it comes to clothing and hair style? The solution is easy. Take away the power by putting the kids in uniforms.

Originally posted by Baculus

Was it really? Perhaps. But we do not know. Also, was it possible that the principle could have IGNORE it, even if it was? Was it possible that many people wouldn't even see the acronym on the shirt, let alone who it was directed toward?

We have no idea if this was the student's intention, but the principle, an adult, could have simply ignored the shirt. Of course, for all we know, they students have been attempting to harrass him - he is allowed to move on with his life if he payed his dues for his crime - so that is always something to consider.

Of course he COULD have. But he didnt. His call to make. And if he deemed it a distraction, then it was.

I think instead of a suspension, an offer to change the t-shirt first should have been offered.

But if this girl wears it again? She should be expelled forever. And her parents brought up on harassment charges.

So if my son wears his "Got Gibbs" T-shirt to a school that is primarily Eagles and Ravens fans. Is he being disruptive????

This kind of thing drives me nuts.

Originally posted by Spaceman Spiff

Oh, clearly. How can you prove it?

I dont have to prove it. The Principal makes that call.

Originally posted by Kilmer17

I dont have to prove it. The Principal makes that call.

Ok, so here's what we know, based on this article.

The Principal had a DUI charge 6 years ago.

The girl is 18. In all likelihood, a senior.

The girl was in middle school when the principal had his DUI.

So why, after 6 years, would all of a sudden a girl wear a shirt to make fun of him when she could have done this at any other point of her high school career? Seems like the principal is a little sensitive about his DUI offense.

All I can say is I'm glad that I went to a private high school where thoughts and ideas were what counted, not a stupid t-shirt.

good grief Spiff. Nice logical argument.

You've now discerned that because the Principal decided that the Tshirt was disruptive, that now the school doesnt count thoughts and ideas.

You might want to think twice about how well that private school education is performing for you.

Got Goosestepping?

Originally posted by Kilmer17

good grief Spiff. Nice logical argument.

You've now discerned that because the Principal decided that the Tshirt was disruptive, that now the school doesnt count thoughts and ideas.

You might want to think twice about how well that private school education is performing for you.

Hey, all I know is that my school wouldn't have suspended me for wearing a tshirt that said "don't drink and drive" cause a faculty member deemed it offensive.

In other words, stuff inside the classroom is what counts, not a slogan on a tshirt.

Why would this girl give a crap about a principal getting a DUI when she was in JR high school so much that she had to wear a shirt to make fun of him 6 years later?