School bans pro-life T-shirts, fliers - Officials fear other students will object

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | November 18, 2006

[cpforlife.org]

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Saturday, November 18, 2006

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MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
School bans pro-life T-shirts, fliers
Officials fear other students will object, consider message religious

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Posted: November 18, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

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© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

A Virginia high school barred a Christian student from distributing materials and wearing a T-shirt that declared opposition to abortion, prompting a legal response.

Andrew Raker, a student at Millbrook High School in Winchester, Va., participated in a national pro-life event Oct. 24 called the "Day of Silent Solidarity" in which he distributed postcard-sized fliers with information about abortion, the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund said.

The next day, school officials pulled Raker from class and told him he could no longer distribute the materials because other students might object or consider them to be religious in nature.

(Story continues below)

ADF said Millbrook's principal, Joseph Swack, also threatened to force Raker to remove or cover his pro-life clothing if other students complained.

In addition, Swack deferred a decision on Raker's request to form a pro-life club, expressing doubt about its acceptability.

The Alliance Defense Fund responded with a letter to Swack contending the high school's refusal to allow a student to present pro-life speech violates the Constitution.

"Christian students cannot be treated as second-class citizens," said ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman. "Expressing a pro-life point of view, whether it is considered to be 'popular' or not, does not disqualify an individual from the right to free speech."

As WND reported in September, a California school changed its T-shirt policy after two students were reprimanded for wearing the "inappropriate" Christian message that life is valuable.

One of the messages, according to the Pacific Justice Institute, read on the back: "Help Cure Abortion" on the front, and "Abortion: The leading cause of death in America 1,200,000 every year."

One student was pulled from class by two instructors who told her she was not allowed to wear the shirt to school because it was "inappropriate." The situation quickly was reversed when the Pacific Justice Institute sent a letter to school officials expressing concern over the First Amendment implications of the school's demands.

In March 2004, another Virginia high school student was barred from wearing a shirt with a pro-life message because it violated the school's policy against profane or obscene language.

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

As WND reported in 2003, a student in Cleveland 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 the Thomas More Law Center explained the student's First Amendment rights and threatened a lawsuit.

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Previous stories:

School fixes policy to allow pro-life T-shirts

Pro-life shirt barred as 'obscene'

Another student penalized
for pro-life shirt

Pro-life shirt equated with swastika

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[Balding_Eagle]

That was a great letter, wasn't it?

I wonder if they'll hear back from the school?

[CaliGirl-R]

I feel a huge problem with our schools is this:

"Officials fear other students will object"

The officials should not fear students. Teachers either. There just isn't any respect for teachers by the students. Parents are the reason.

I pulled my teen out of high school 2 yrs ago because the kids ruled the classes. Nothing got taught. It's a shame.

[Balding_Eagle]

One of the great things about America is that you have the right to proudly proclaim that you've got your head in the sand.

Ain't America great?

[napscoordinator]

I swear schools are getting weirder and weirder. I am the most pro-life person you could practically be. I guess it is because I went to Catholic School, but I just don't understand these tee shirts that are being worn to school. There is no reason to wear a tee shirt with pro life, pro choice, homosexuality is great, homosexality is evil, etc to school. What is wrong with kids today wearing sloppy clothes. I say get them into uniforms immediately.

[napscoordinator]

My kids are offended by homosexual propaganda distributed in the schools, but nobody cares....


What propaganda are they giving? Is it pamplets that they are passing out? Can you scan it and show the FREEPERS. It must scare the heck out of you the stuff they give out today. I would defintely be interested how far they have gone down the toilet.

[BW2221]

Jude 24 -

May I ask what year you graduated from high school? Things may be different now.

[Theo]

If any other students are allowed to wear T-shirts with writing on them, this young man has permission to do so. Period.

[Chewie84]

That is unfortunate, that schools could become so narrow- minded about which types of free speech to tolerate.

[Goldie Lurks]

Over the decades, the public school system has become embedded with a liberal mentality. Many teachers that do/have attempted to enforce policies and procedures end up in trouble themselves.

[oldbrowser]

School is not the place for political protests of any sort. School is only a place to learn the material presented.

The material presented is the issue.

[Salvation]

So what kind of t-shirts can they wear.

Some high school and middle schools here have a ban on any message whatsoever on any t-shirt.

[jude24]

May I ask what year you graduated from high school? Things may be different now.

In the past decade.

[sidetracked]

"What propaganda are they giving? Is it pamplets that they are passing out? Can you scan it and show the FREEPERS. It must scare the heck out of you the stuff they give out today. I would defintely be interested how far they have gone down the toilet."

I just pulled my 15yo daughter out of public HS this Friday. She starts a one room k-12 Christian school Monday. Why??? Because one day I went to the school and there were "Gay/Straight Alliance" meeting posters on EVERY SINGLE DOOR. IN ALL THE HALLS. IN THE MAIN OFFICE. This is Monroe Michigan, school with over 2000 students. Strike One.

Then later she was quietly reading her bible (she isn't even very religious, just had it in her bookbag one day and pulled it out because she was bored.) Her teacher told her to put it away since she wasn't allowed to have it at school. That was strikes 2 and 3...

Yeah, it's pretty bad.

[pray4liberty]

Love your website....and you're right.

[oyez]

I graduated from a small high school in 1965 with record number of my class going off to college. About 80% majored in education almost all of those became teachers. I think the longest career span for those who became teachers in public schools was six years. When new secular order came out they left public schools for private or else found other endeavors.

[Thumper1960]

Has the NEA and PSEA come to the aid of these students, decrying their loss of freedom of speech and freedom of expression?

I'll not hold my breath.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The next day, school officials pulled Raker from class and told him he could no longer distribute the materials because other students might object or consider them to be religious in nature.

This says more about the kind of neutered student body these officials want than even they realize. No students supporting controversial causes, no students supporting religion, no students objecting...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

As WND reported in September, a California school changed its T-shirt policy after two students were reprimanded for wearing the "inappropriate" Christian message that life is valuable.

Welcome to BIZARRO WORLD! We want death! We want death!

[cpforlife.org]

Sorry to have posted and left. Busy Saturday outdoor work.

Some excellent points:

I agree, school uniforms would solve much of these problems.

Also serious discipline and a real non political no nonsense curriculum program are a must. But that ain't happin' folks!

What seems to be happening at an accelerating rate is what Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek posted in 17.

My sister in law teaches 5th grade public 1 hour N of Atlanta. She's getting scared for her physical safety, and that's a "good" public school.

In the big cities it's a freepin war zone.

I heard a radio show 2+ years ago where the host read 10 questions from an 8th grade final exam from the year 1900. It was beyond tough.

Public school was outstanding then and remained so probably into the 60's in much of the country.

In the last 30 years it has collapsed into a pit. In another 30 years it may be Mad Max X: The School Warriors.

[cpforlife.org]

"Welcome to BIZARRO WORLD!"

LOL, I was typing # 39 when you posted that. I called it:

Mad Max X: The School Warriors.

Great Minds think alike!