A middle school student in York County recently wore a t-shirt to school stating, “Abortion is not Healthcare.” One might applaud the student for caring about issues that really matter and communicating truth to those around him. And in light of the messages we’ve all seen on t-shirts, we might also praise him for good taste. That wasn’t the approach that his school took.
Instead, he was sent to the principal’s office because one teacher though the message may be inappropriate. The principal agreed, believing that someone might get offended. He was ordered to wear his t-shirt inside out so that his message wouldn’t pollute the school. Breathtaking. However, in light of school policies that prohibit speech involving a religious point of view or that give school officials discretion to determine what’s “inappropriate,” it’s not surprising.
The Independence Law Center, in cooperation with the Alliance Defense Fund, brought suit on behalf of the student—which brought about a change in policy. Our hope is that this suit will cause other school districts to reevaluate their policies so that truly harmful speech can be limited without stopping the core political and religious speech of students.