Pro-life shirt barred as 'obscene'

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Friday, March 12, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS
Pro-life shirt barred as 'obscene'
Administrator determined anti-abortion message violates policy

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Posted: March 12, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

A Virginia high school student was barred from wearing a shirt with a pro-life message because it violates the school's policy against profane or obscene language.

Pro-life shirt worn by Virginia student. (Photo used with permission)

The shirt says: "Abortion is Homicide. You will not silence my message. You will not mock my God. You will stop killing my generation. Rock for Life."

Assistant Vice Principal Marylin Sinclair-White at Denbigh High School in Newport News, Va, told the student Feb. 18 he could not wear the shirt to school.

On Tuesday, the Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center sent a four-page demand letter to school officials, giving them 10 days to reverse the decision or face a lawsuit.

The Law Center, who would not name the student because he's a minor, emphasized other students at the school were allowed to display various messages on their clothing, including an image of a marijuana leaf.

The letter said the student simply wishes to continue to peacefully and passively express his firmly held views on the important political, social, and moral subject of abortion just as other students are allowed to express their own messages.

The Law Center insisted the student's pro-life message could not possibly be considered lewd, vulgar, profane or obscene.

As WorldNetDaily reported, a student in Cleveland last year was given two days of Saturday detention after two students in his 1,200-member high school complained about a sweatshirt with the same message.

In Pennsylvania, a junior high school principal barred a T-shirt with that message, arguing it was the equivalent of wearing a swastika to school. The principal later reversed his decision after a The Thomas More Law Center explained the student's First Amendment rights and threatened a lawsuit.

Edward White, associate counsel for the Law Center, told WorldNetDaily he group has received dozens of calls about similar cases around the country, including 25 in the first month of the previous school year.

One school barred a shirt that simply said, "I'm pro-life."

Two years ago, White recalled, a school barred a third-grader from wearing a shirt that said, "Jesus Christ," because it was considered profanity.

"Usually school officials back off," he said. "But it's interesting, it's just conservative, pro-life or Christian kids who gets hassled. They always say other kids who wear shirts with a playboy bunny, Marilyn Manson, beer ads or cigarette ads never are pulled aside by a teacher."

[JohnHuang2]

Friday, March 12, 2004

Quote of the Day by highlander_UW/a>

[jwh_Denver]

All just part of the end times.

Hello John, still at it and doing a great job.

[thoughtomator]

Gee... who woulda thunk, give government the power to ban what is obscene, and then they turn around and say that the political opposition's message is obscene.

[TheBigB]

Assistant Vice Principal Marylin Sinclair-White at Denbigh High School in Newport News, Va

"NEVER trust a woman with a hyphenated last name."--Lewis Grizzard.

[Post Toasties]

Was this Vice Principal Marylin Sinclair-White wearing her jackboots and brown shirt while she was denying the student his right to free speech? She might just as well have, because she was being a perfect Nazi.

[JohnHuang2]

G'evening, my friend.

[Lancey Howard]

Interesting.
I wonder why the shirt reads, "ABORTION IS HOMICIDE" rather than the more conventional, "ABORTION IS MURDER"?

[stands2reason]

I dunno....maybe cos it's premeditated?

[AHerald]

...give government the power to ban what is obscene, and then they turn around and say that the political opposition's message is obscene.

The article says that it's a school policy behind the ban, not government policy.

[stands2reason]

I don't think so. Though the article doesn't make it clear, I would think if it was a private school, Thomas More wouldn't get involved....

[BykrBayb]

I believe it's a government-run school.

[dead]

The morons on the left cheer when the government shuts down voices on the right.

The morons on the right cheer when the government shuts down voices on the left.

The government just keeps making everybody cheer.

[thoughtomator]

Government school policy is still government policy.

[teletech]

The leftist NEA strikes again!

[supercat]

I wonder why the shirt reads, "ABORTION IS HOMICIDE" rather than the more conventional, "ABORTION IS MURDER"?

Probably because there are circumstances in which abortion, like homicide, is justifiable.

[Brian Allen]

<< The article says that it's a school policy behind the ban, not government policy. >>

Oh, that's good.

I'm so glad you have cleared up the separation of school and government for us.

Now my government owned operated controlled and staffed local school will be able to alter its policy and offer prayers before classes and football matches.

I'll race down there and inform its ACLU-DNC-NEA minders at once.

[jwh_Denver]

She might just as well have, because she was being a perfect Nazi.

Perfect Nazi or perfect commie? Either way it's my way or cut your throat dead highway. When does the bell tolls for these kind?

[AHerald]

Government school policy is still government policy.

So because a public school operates under governmental authority that makes an individual public school's, or school district's, dress code policy equivalent to government policy? ... Perhaps a legal expert here can explain.

[AHerald]

If you're going to quote and then comment on a post of mine, please at least ping me.

[GATOR NAVY]

"NEVER trust a woman with a hyphenated last name."--Lewis Grizzard.

Nor a man with more than one middle name and/or a roman numeral.