Posted on 05/26/2005 10:22:33 AM PDT by freepatriot32
A teenager was back in class Friday 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 Friday 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 means 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 Friday without the banned T-shirt, which also had a peace symbol on the front and "Veritas" (truth) written on the back.
On Friday, 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 plans to wear the banned T-shirt again on Monday.
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."
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."
Considering that her t-shirt is actually challenging the authority of the principal and is directly targeted at his DUI, I'd say that the t-shirts are more than just individual expression of the girl's philosophy.
If she wore a t-shirt that said, "Our principal in a convicted drunk driver" there would actually be no difference.
Now....the issue isn't whether the message is true. The issue is that the courts HAVE upheld a school's right to prevent disruption.
Does that message, and that type of attack on the administration of the school, constitute a disruption.
I would say that it does.
The girl should lose this suit. The school should win.
lol i cant see what the school would objectto over those shirts :-) when i was in 7th grade i had a t shirt that said kiss my a** so i took a black magic marker and put a b in front of it but that still didnt fly.So they sent me home to change it probably had something to do with the guy with a pair of lips over his butt on the shirt
Eat Shot. Die Motherfuller. Go Funk Yourself. I don't get it. Why'd you get expelled...?
Most likely not - if you were just under the age to start kindergarten, you'd have to wait a year. That would put you a year older and a grade under ... there were several 18yo juniors in my school ....
Well anyway I was only sent home to change them. I did get in-school suspension because I told them if I went home I would not return, and I didn't.
No kidding. Sounds like Duckspeak to me! :-)
"The girl should lose this suit. The school should win. "
And then the principal should be fired.
Why am I not terribly surprised? :)
I can see wearing that t-shirt regardless of the principal's beveraged driving history. Here in the wine country of Sonoma County drunk drivers kill their fair share of people. If someone in my family were killed by a drunk driver are you saying that my children couldn't wear a shirt that said "don't drink and drive"?
I say the school is going to lose this one....
I guess it shows, huh?
An 18-y/o junior? Hmmm.
Maybe he should just issue a list of approved slogans, then. What do you s'pose might be on that list? Or does that just sound flat-out ridiculous?
If you can't recognize a retarded principal on that basis, you need to look again. What exactly goes downhill from "Don't Drink and Drive?"
"Look Both Ways before Crossing the street?"
"Just Say No to Drugs?"
Please. Profanity/Obscinity/etc is clear as day and this clearly has nothing objectionable and is pretty positive. The principal can go **** himself.
It's not unusual. A few kid's birthdays fall in that range that it happens - and it is about the end of the school year. Lets not jump to conclusions like CBS or Newsweak.
If it walks like a drunk and talks like a drunk, the Duck is a drunk.
Well, what else did it say?
Nah. Just playing around witcha.
Just imagine if she had the shirt I used to have. "Pissing Off The Whole Planet One Person At A Time."
I thought you may have caught some of my other wild comments in the past.
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