Another student penalized for pro-life shirt

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Wednesday, February 5, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

Another student has run into trouble with his principal for wearing a pro-life shirt that declares "Abortion is Homicide."

Principal Doug DeLong of Chardon High School in suburban Cleveland said he gave two days of Saturday detention to 17-year-old Bill Noyes after two students in the 1,200-member student body complained about the sweatshirt.

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

As WorldNetDaily reported last week, a principal at a junior high school in Pennsylvania barred a T-shirt with the same message, arguing that it was the equivalent of wearing a swastika to school. The principal later reversed his decision after a nonprofit legal group explained the student's First Amendment rights and threatened a lawsuit.

The back of the shirt reads: "You will not silence my message. You will not mock my God. You will stop the killing of my generation. Rock For Life."

DeLong said the Chardon High School student's shirt "disrupts the educational process," according to Erik Whittington, spokesman for Rock for Life, the group that produced the shirt.

Whittington told WND that Rock for Life, a youth-oriented project of the American Life League, is consulting lawyers on behalf of Noyes.

In the Pennsylvania case, Rock for Life was assisted by the Thomas More Law Center, which contended that the student's speech did not cause any substantial and material disruptions to the workings of the school and that there was no legal basis on which to restrict his speech.

The Ohio high school student, Noyes, said he was ordered to take off the shirt or turn it inside out after two students said they were offended by the message, according to an Associated Press report. After the afternoon confrontation, Noyes left the school with his mother's permission.

"I should not have to take off a shirt that explains my morals," he said.

Whittington's group has planned a "National Pro-Life T-shirt Day" for April 28. The group says its goal is "to have every pro-life student in America wear a pro-life T-shirt to school" on that day.

[JohnHuang2]

Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Quote of the Day by EternalVigilance

[Vindibudd]

I am pro life but really, we need to pick the battles. Running around with such an in-your-face type of shirt is not conducive to a learning environment.

This sort of thing is merely disrupting school. The time for a protest is not at school where people are trying to learn.

[butter pecan fan]

The time for a protest is not at school where people are trying to learn.

Umm... which school would that be?

[Jumper]

Funny how a simple message of Life and Faith on T-shirt in a sea of T-shirts expressing every contrary opinion is somehow uncondusive to education. "It" (What is the meaning of IT) depends on the "message" of the "education" and the intent of those who teach. Americans are becoming tired of leaving their beliefs checked at the coat rack (political correctness is the term) in order to get along in the liberal ivory towers of American education institutions. It is high time that the liberals stop offending people by using reverse discrimination; Is it forbiden for anyone to challenge the liberal idealogy taught at our subsisdized schools in which the NEA and NTA are considered the height of Liberal Values at the expense of education and family unity?

[Van Jenerette]

...for class.

[MudPuppy]

BUMP for Life

[tonycavanagh]

I agree with Vindibudd, its about time standards were set. To many times we ape the other side, because they can do it we can do it.

What we should say is yes a ban on all T-Shirts with messages, in fact all clothing designed to raise controversy, and that includes "Woman’s right to choose" as well as "Abortion means Murder" should be banned.

Instead of vying with each other to lower the line lets try and raise it.

Tony

[ladylib]

"DeLong said the Chardon High School student's shirt "disrupts the educational process," according to Erik Whittington, spokesman for Rock for Life, the group that produced the shirt."

Exactly what does "disrupts the educational process" mean? Two students complain and the "educational process" is disrupted? I think these principals have way too much latitude in deciding what a "disruption" is.

This school is going to be sued, and the taxpayer is going to wind up paying for it.

Maybe principals should be required to take a seminar on First Amendment rights. This was already settled years ago.

[martin gibson]

I am pro life but really, we need to pick the battles. Running around with such an in-your-face type of shirt is not conducive to a learning environment...

Why, yes! Of course, Vindibudd. We should never express our beliefs to the public school government employees, 'community activists', or 'political spokespersons' when a far more productive tract would be for us to simply keep our mouths shut and remain silent.

Wait!! I know!! I bet you would prefer that we engage our 'abortion enthusiast' friends in polite conversation and reasoned, cordial debate?

I agree with you completely. We must at all times be pleasant, polite and civil with our shrill, strident and hysterical neo-Stalinist friends.

And we must never, ever, even inadvertently, give offense to any bureaucratic lickspittle lackey of the leviathan. I agree with you completely and propose we all walk silently with our eyes averted and our heads down at all times!!

Pleasant is as pleasant does!!

[ohioman]

It would have been no problem if the kids shirt had the faggott rainbow on it, or the queer nation. Then, it would be the school who would be expounding on free speech.

[biblewonk]

How disgusting and ironic and intollerant and PC and what ever else that a 15 year old slut has the right to kill her baby but another 15 year old can't wear a shirt that says it's wrong.

[Notwithstanding]

GREAT NEWS HERE - KID WINS:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/836895/posts

[ladylib]

The mere threat of a lawsuit usually does the trick in cases like these, especially when the defendants know they're going to lose big time.

[Vindibudd]

Well I didn't mean to say roll over. I am saying that school (all public school ineptness and politicizing aside) is not the place for that sort of thing from either side. Sue me if you don't like it but some people are actually trying to learn. I bet you would be all for
wearing ABORTION IS HOMICIDE T-shirts to church on sunday just cause you could. Or maybe to your wedding, just cause you could.

There is a time and season for everything, and yeah he had a right to say it, but it was still inappropriate in my opinion.