School orders boy to cover his T-shirt

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: gep2 () terabites com
Date: November 23, 2004 10:02:20 PM EST
To: dallasdemocrats () egroups com, USDemocrat () yahoogroups com,  
USDemocrat2 () yahoogroups com, TheFalloutShelter () yahoogroups com,  
DiehardDems () yahoogroups com, SECULAR_HUMANIST () yahoogroups com,  
anti_bush_2004 () yahoogroups com, pnews-list () yahoogroups com,  
bushlied () yahoogroups com, dfarber () cs cmu edu
Cc: mbesso () delawareonline com
Subject: [bushlied] School orders boy to cover his T-shirt

Personally, I think it's a VERY positive thing to get young people  
involved in
the political process early, and to ENCOURAGE them to take an interest  
(and a
stand!) in defending the principles of a free, democratic society with a
government "of, by, and for" the people.

Not allowing "distracting" clothing in school quickly segueways (I  
think) into
not allowing "distracting" clothing in bars, restaurants, downtowns,  
shopping
malls, theme parks, supermarkets, public parks, and other "public"  
places.

And, certainly, "free" speech doesn't mean anything at all if it  
doesn't include
the ability to say something that makes someone, somewhere,  
uncomfortable.

I'm really VERY tired of the "Conservative" right wing trying to  
intimidate
others from being able to say publicly (in anywhere that matters!) that  
they
don't agree!!!!  That's NOT what living in a "free" society is about.

As for "creating division rather than unity", since when are we  
supposed to
browbeat our fellow citizens to achieve 'unity'?  And who says that's  
even a
legitimate goal for us, as a society?


<---- Begin Forwarded Message ---->
To: bushlied () yahoogroups com
From: RCPJAP () aol com
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:45:48 EST
Subject: [bushlied] School orders boy to cover his T-shirt
Reply-To: bushlied () yahoogroups com


School orders boy to cover his T-shirt

'The Real Terrorist Is In The White House' is called a distraction by  
school
officials

By MICHELE BESSO / The News Journal
11/20/2004

Thirteen-year-old Stephen Truszkowski said he's doing what his mother  
taught
him to do - standing up for his beliefs.

But officials at Everett Meredith Middle School in Middletown say he is  
doing
something else - becoming a distraction.

Truszkowski wore a white, short-sleeved T-shirt to school Friday with  
the
words, "The Real Terrorist Is In The White House," written in black on  
the
front, and "End the Tyranny" written on the back.

School officials told him the shirt was inappropriate and if he didn't  
cover
it up, he would be suspended.

Truszkowski covered it up, like he did earlier in the week when he wore  
the
shirt to school, as well as another time two weeks ago. But this time,  
he
confronted the principal with a copy of the school dress code in hand.
"I told him that based on the school code, he had no right to tell me to
cover it up," he said. He said the shirt does not violate the school's  
dress
code because it's not profane or violent.

The teen feels the school is infringing on his first amendment right to  
free
speech.

"I think they violated my rights because I wore the shirt to express my
opinion, that we shouldn't have gone to war," Truszkowski said. "I'm  
not saying
I don't respect the soldiers, but I think what Bush is doing is  
inappropriate."
The school's principal, Claude McAllister, did not return calls for  
comment.
According to the Delaware Code, the school board of each public school
district has the authority to establish and enforce a dress code to  
"promote an
orderly, disciplined school environment and to encourage uniformity of  
student
dress."

Student apparel that is distracting, hinders the educational process or
"advertises, glorifies or symbolizes any illegal substances, contains  
derogatory
phrases, profanity or glorifies violence or criminal behavior" is not  
permitted
to be worn, according to the Appoquinimink School District dress code.  
Other
Delaware school districts have similar dress codes.

"I don't think my shirt is distracting," Truszkowski said. "Every  
student who
talked to me said they support me, but two of my teachers told me I had  
to
cover it up."

While the dress code does not specifically address clothing with a  
political
message, the shirt is clearly inappropriate, said Lillian Miles,  
Appoquinimink
district spokeswoman. She said several students have complained about  
the
shirt.

"At this point, the shirt has now become a distraction," she said.

Truszkowski said he will circulate a petition next week, and if less  
than 20
people are offended by his shirt, he said he will wear it again. He may  
set a
date where students can wear the same shirt to school, "to prove how  
many
people are with me."

Truszkowski's mother, Karen Piser, said she supports her son. She said  
if he
is expelled, she will transfer him to another school.
"I don't believe it was right for them to tell him to cover it up or  
he'll be
sent home," she said. "I believe they are violating his rights. There  
is no
foul language involved. You try to teach your kids freedom of speech  
and it's
one person's belief."

Truszkowski's 19-year-old stepbrother, Dan Easterwood, made the T-shirt  
and
loaned it to his brother after wearing it to a Green Day concert.

"I think it's stupid that he can't wear the shirt and voice his own  
opinion,"
Easterwood said. "I'm against the war, too. One of my friends died over  
in
Iraq."

Students and parents had mixed opinions about the controversial T-shirt  
at
the school on Friday. Several students chanted "Stephen! Stephen!" as  
he removed
his sweat shirt and revealed the T-shirt.

"I think the school shouldn't make a big deal out of it," said  
eighth-grader
Michelle West, 13. "It says in the code of conduct that you have  
freedom of
speech. I support Stephen all the way. The school can't tell you what  
to wear
unless it's profane."

But seventh-grader Bryan Boyd, 12, disagreed.

"I think we were right to go to Iraq, and I think it shows disrespect  
to our
president for him to come in with a shirt that says we're not right,"  
he said.
"He can express his opinion, but I don't think this is the right way."

Susan Nida, a parent, said she would never allow her seventh-grade  
daughter
to wear a shirt like that to school. She said political clothing does  
not
belong in a school setting.

"I think it's just as bad as wearing revealing clothes to school," she  
said.
"I don't necessarily think the student should be suspended, but he  
should
cover it up."

Valerie Huot, president of the Everett Middle School PTA, said  
officials try
hard to keep the school a neutral place and limit distractions. She said
parents and students should be aware of the type of clothing that is  
suitable
for school, although teens seem to be making their fashion statements  
more
political these days.

"My son has a political T-shirt, but he knows better than to wear it to
school," Huot said. "When you wear a shirt like that, you're wearing it  
for
attention. ... The fact that you can call your own government  
terroristic after
Sept. 11 ... it creates more division than unity."

Contact Michele Besso at 838-3187 or mbesso () delawareonline com

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/11/ 
20schoolordersboy.html


<----  End Forwarded Message  ---->

Gordon Peterson                  http://personal.terabites.com/
1977-2002  Twenty-fifth anniversary year of Local Area Networking!
Support free and fair US elections!   
http://stickers.defend-democracy.org
12/19/98: Partisan Republicans scornfully ignore the voters they  
"represent".
12/09/00: the date the Republican Party took down democracy in America.


-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/