Posted on 09/16/2007 12:48:49 PM PDT by Altura Ct.
FORT WALTON BEACH — “They can’t deport us all.”
Three Choctawhatchee High School students of Hispanic descent wore T-shirts emblazoned with that phrase Thursday to support their heritage.
But fearing the shirts could incite violence, school administrators ordered them to remove the shirts or face suspension.
Although administrators eventually allowed the students to wear their shirts, the incident raises questions surrounding student rights.
At what point does a political message become offensive? And what First Amendment rights do students have regarding their clothing?
For the students, wearing a T-shirt that expressed their solidarity with Mexican-Americans shouldn’t have raised a red flag.
“They don’t want us to have pride,” said junior Robbie Carillo. “They’re using their point of view to make us take off the shirt.”
Okaloosa County School District attorney Jeff McInnis said there is line between student rights and safety.
“While students are at school they certainly have certain rights of express, but not if the expression is disruptive to the educational environment of the school,” he said.
Carillo and sophomore Michael Trevino, children of military personnel, say they weren’t considering any of those issues when they went to school Thursday.
Instead, they were responding to negative remarks toward Hispanics that they say they hear in school frequently. The two boys and an unidentified female student decided to make a silent declaration of their Mexican-American pride.
“We hear what people are saying, and it’s not all true and we are good people,” Trevino said. “It’s a political statement.”
“If I had a Mexican flag shirt I would wear that, but I don’t have that. I have this shirt,” added Carillo.
The students only got to third period before a faculty member complained and the boys were asked to remove the shirts. The decision was related to safety concerns, said Choctaw Principal Cindy Massarelli.
“If they wear the T-shirt, they identify themselves as an illegal alien, whether they are or not,” Massarelli said. “We know that’s an issue in the community right now.”
Massarelli also said that more than one student wearing a certain image or slogan could be perceived as a gang.
Students should not be identified as anything other than Choctaw students, she said.
“It definitely has nothing to do with race. We don’t want them to be singled out,” she said.
The boys disagreed that by wearing the same shirt, they were forming a group.
“They’re just trying to break us up,” Carillo.
Carillo said the shirts did not seem to offend other students.
However, he said he is bothered when other students wear clothes with upside down crosses and confederate flags.
After talking with district personnel, Massarelli allowed the students to wear their shirts as long as they don’t incite violence.
“If they want to wear them, we’ll probably allow them to wear them,” Massarelli said. “We probably will only let the parents know of our concern for safety.”
Trevino’s mother, Grace Pevey, supports her son’s statement and wishes she hadn’t encouraged him to remove his shirt.
“He’s making a statement that he’s a Mexican-American but he’s being looked at discriminatorily,” she said.
Can the other students where shirts saying, “Deport all illegals!” ? Didn’t think so.
I would print shirts saying Wanna bet?
More double standards.
Maybe not but we can start with you, Paco.
What pride? The pride in having invaded a foreign country?
You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.
Another orwellian term switch....we arent deporting “mexican-americans”...we are deporting mexicans in the country illegally...
And in answer to “they cant deport us all”.....
wanna bet?
We may not be able to deport all of them but we could hunt the rest down and ship their remains back.
“And what First Amendment rights do students have regarding their clothing?”
If they are illegals?
NONE!
Another argument for school uniforms.
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Any time it positively reflects God or America. American flag = offensive. Pro-illegal-alien = good.
Quote from the article:
“Three Choctawhatchee High School students of Hispanic descent wore T-shirts emblazoned with that phrase Thursday to support their heritage.”
Heritage? A heritage of crime?
Pride in what, exactly?
Try wearing a T shirt with a biblical saying on it, or one that denounces communism.
Why not? Mexico did.
“They can’t deport us all.”
Deport ‘em all.
Why can't teachers just teach?
“They’re just trying to break us up,” Carillo.
Hey pea brain, quit complaining about them trying to break you up. You claim you're not a group, so, they wouldn't be able to break up something that isn't. Therefore, you must be, you little lying instigator.
I know a cop up there in the Eglin AFB/Ft Walton Beach area. He says that Mexican gangs are a huge problem there.
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