Tee-d off: anti-Bush T-shirt banned at a Michigan school - News Debate

0 Comments | Current Events, April 4, 2003

BRETTON BARBER didn't want the United States to go to war against Iraq. The 16-year-old had been to three antiwar protests and wanted to organize an antiwar group at his high school in Michigan. One day while surfing the Web, Barber saw an antiwar T-shirt for sale. It had a picture of U.S. President George W. Bush sandwiched between the words International Terrorist. Barber said he remembers thinking, "Wouldn't this be cool to wear to school?"

But when Barber wore the shirt to school in February, Dearborn High School's administration didn't think it was cool at all. A vice-principal told Barber to wear the T-shirt inside out or be sent home. Barber said he'd rather be sent home than surrender his First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

When Barber got home, he called the media and the American Civil Liberties Union, a legal group devoted to protecting constitutional rights. Barber also called the school principal to talk about law. They discussed a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court decision in which the Court ruled that a student's rights don't end "at the schoolhouse gate." The case involved students in Des Moines, Iowa, who had been suspended from school for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The Court ruled that students could not be punished for practicing free speech unless their behavior "substantially interfered" with school operations.

Barber insisted that the law was on his side. The principal disagreed. Their debate has renewed a nationwide discussion over students' rights to free expression.

Yelling `Fire!'

School administrators point out that not all forms of speech are protected by the First Amendment. For example, a person isn't allowed to create a false panic or express himself in a way that could incite violence. "Wearing inflammatory T-shirts can be like yelling `fire' in a crowded theater," said Robert Freehan, an official with the Warren Consolidated School District in Michigan.

Some officials argue that Barber's behavior interferes with the school's primary responsibility--educating students. "School is not a place to protest; it's a place to learn," said Cliff May, of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

A Strong Message

Barber said he wore the shirt to "generate some class discussions with my classmates about the war, and I think it sent a strong message."

Barber's mom, Tricia Barber, supports her son. "It didn't cause any problems at the school, and I think he has a right to wear his T-shirt," she said.

Barber's classmate Lindsey Hoganson, 16, opposes the school's decision. "Talking about [war] won't disturb the learning environment because the topic's already been brought up in school. Barber was just giving people a different way of looking at it," she said.

Should students be allowed to wear antiwar T-shirts? Why or why not?

First Amendment (Page 3). The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is one of the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. They were adopted by Congress on Dec. 15, 1791. The First Amendment prevents Congress from passing laws that establish a national religion or that restrict freedoms of religion, speech, or the press. It also provides protection of the right to peacefully assemble and to express grievances. This amendment has been interpreted to prevent states from enacting laws that infringe on any of these rights. In court cases, freedom of speech has applied to journalism, politics, religion, books, and more. For many people, freedom of speech is one of the most crucial parts of the Bill of Rights.

ACLU (Page 3). The American Civil Liberties Union is a private organization that defends Americans' rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Representing both individuals and groups, the ACLU advocates civil rights and freedoms such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble, and protection from unreasonable searches. The 300,000 member organization has argued or supported every major U.S. civil liberties case since it was founded in 1920. It has branch offices in almost every state.