First Amendment Violation
The ACLU of Louisiana says a DeSoto Parish student's First Amendment rights were violated when she wore a pro-gay t-shirt to class. Executive director Marjorie Esman says the girl's shirt read "Some Kids Are Gay.
That's OK", and forcing her to change or go home violated her free speech & expression rights. School officials said the pro-gay slogan on the girl's shirt was a potential distraction or disruption to other students. Esman says the student in question has decided to transfer, but the ACLU still wants
DeSoto Parish schools to address the complaint against them. DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Walter Lee says policy requires students to wear uniforms, and only occasionally are students rewarded
for good grades or behavior by being allowed to come to school out of uniform. He says there's a clear policy of what non-uniform apparel is permitted. Lee says the girl's sloganed t-shirt was in violation of school dress code--which would bar MOST t-shirt slogans, regardless of their message. He says DeSoto Middle School principal Keith Simmons acted correctly in addressing the school dress code infraction.
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