As policies spread, free-speech disputes ending up in courts nationwide
It took only an hour for parents in Omaha, Neb., to get in touch with the American Civil Liberties Union. Their children — 23 of them — had been suspended from school for wearing the wrong clothes.
The teenagers, all students at Millard South High School, were ordered to stay home from one to three days in late August for wearing T-shirts that memorialized Julius Robinson, 18, a Millard South football player who was shot to death in June. The shirts were being sold to help raise money so Robinson’s family could buy a headstone for his grave.
Robinson was “just a really good guy,” said Dan Kuhr, a friend who designed the shirts. “He didn’t cause a lot of trouble.”
But to officials of the Millard Public Schools, the words “Julius RIP” on the shirts were disruptive. After consulting with Omaha police, they also said the shirts could be considered gang-related...
1 comment:
I think the Millard South High School took the situation to far. I understand the prohibiting of certain clothing items, such as bandanas, due to gang relations; however, I do not agree that the words “Julius RIP” could be considered gang related. As far as the words causing a disruption during school, it may have caused a small degree due to the remembrance of the young man.
The students who wore these shirts, wore them in commemoration to their friend and/or fellow classmate and to show and raise support for the victims’ family. It does not seem that they wished for any other response to their display than to assist Julius’ loved ones in supplying him a headstone.
At the most the school system should have taken a lesser degree, such as possibly setting a number of days (a week) in which the shirts could be wore. In my opinion the school could have coordinated some type of relief for the family, such as contacting the victims’ family for permission then sending a note home with each students asking for any donations.
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