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Ohio Father Sues School District Over Son’s T-Shirt Controversy
A father has initiated legal action against an Ohio school district, claiming that his son faced punitive measures for donning a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt at school.
The lawsuit, reported by Fox News Digital, contends that a teacher and principal at Madison Middle School in Mansfield breached the student’s First Amendment rights to free speech, as well as his 14th Amendment rights to due process, when the child was disciplined for wearing the shirt multiple times.
The first reported incident took place in November when the boy wore the T-shirt beneath a flannel shirt prior to the start of classes. According to the suit, a teacher—identified as a registered Democrat—ordered him to button up his flannel to conceal the message, stating, “I know what that means.”
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The boy encountered further issues that same day when he attended the teacher’s class. After removing his flannel shirt due to warmth, the teacher recognized the T-shirt again and issued him a “pink slip,” referring him to the principal’s office for disciplinary action.
The principal, according to the allegations, “demanded” that the boy keep the flannel on for the remainder of the day and instructed him never to wear attire that conveyed such messages again.
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The controversy continued into January when the student wore the same shirt, prompting the same teacher to confront him, asking, “Do you like offending people?” The boy reportedly responded, “That’s not my problem, nobody has to read my shirt,” after which the teacher allegedly gave him a disapproving look and left.
In a subsequent meeting, the principal claimed to the student’s father, Richard Conrad, that the phrase on the T-shirt serves as “code” for a vulgar expression. Conrad disagreed, arguing that he does not interpret the slogan in that manner.
The situation escalated to a fourth incident on March 24, when the boy received detention for wearing the T-shirt again. The school communicated with Conrad regarding the boy’s “repeated violations” of a code of conduct established by the board of education.
The lawsuit asserts that the school’s dress code is “unconstitutionally vague,” allowing staff excessive discretion in its enforcement.
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The phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” popular among American conservatives as a critique of President Biden, emerged in October 2021 during a NASCAR interview and stands as a G-rated substitute for explicit chants against Biden that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, this expression has resonated through various sporting events, symbolizing resistance to the president’s pandemic policies.
Conrad’s lawsuit contends that the phrase represents a legitimate expression of public opinion about the media and political climate, asserting that it lacks vulgarity.
The Superintendent of the Madison Local School District, Robert Peterson, acknowledged knowledge of the lawsuit but refrained from commenting due to ongoing legal proceedings.
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In a related case, two students from Michigan filed a lawsuit against their school district after facing prohibitions for wearing apparel featuring the same phrase. They accused the district of censoring students who express support for former President Donald Trump or opposition to President Biden, as highlighted in a complaint brought before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.
Represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), the students alleged viewpoint discrimination after being ordered to remove sweatshirts adorned with the phrase while their peers wore other political attire without issue.
FIRE asserts that the criticism of the president is an essential aspect of political speech safeguarded by the First Amendment. The organization emphasizes that schools cannot selectively censor student expression based on political beliefs.
Similar concerns arise from the previous instance, where school administration allowed certain political expressions while forbidding others, leading to accusations of political bias in dress code enforcement.
Ultimately, the legal proceedings surrounding the incidents reflect ongoing tensions in educational environments regarding free speech and political expression, particularly as they pertain to the polarization found in today’s political landscape.
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