It was bound to happen sometime...

[wad04]

haha, you have very little rights at school. they're essentially your parents for the school day, therefor doing whats best for the kids is the right thing. teachers don't need reasons for things like this, if they find it a "distraction" theres no question the shirt will go off.

[Miscue]

Its none of anyones freakin business why hes wearing it. Hes wearing it damnit, and its his right to do so. Thats what freedom of speech is for, to allow people to express themselves. I dont like what neonazis say, but Id die for their right to say it. Its nobody elses job to enforce their morals on someone else unless theyre being paid to, which a public school teacher is NOT. If you have a problem with that, send your friggen kids to a private school and stop trying to make other people live how you want them to.

The First Amendment was not created to protect your ability to wear some stupid T-Shirt.

I don't understand the psychology behind worrying about what shirts you can't wear, so long as you can wear shirts. There's a plain shirt... wear the damn thing. Shirt A causes no problems. Shirt B can cause problems, even though it's because people are stupid and for some dumb reason don't like it. Wear shirt A anyway, and swallow your damn misdirected pride. You're not fighting a cause that is both just and worthwhile - truly is a waste of time. Let's say you win... what have you solved? What do you have to gain from displaying some problematic shirt?

An issue of Freedom of Speech? Expressing yourself? Dolts. Trace back to why the First Amendment was inspired to be created, and how this even remotely relates to a retarded T-Shirt. You're really stretching the idea.

I can't wear my stupid shirt! I'm being oppressed!

Should you be able to wear them? In my opinion, yes... they don't bother me. However, it's not important enough to bother fighting with because there seriously isn't anything to gain - unless all of your clothes are "offensive," and there's a financial burden caused by having to replace it all with "non-offensive" clothing.

[Jakedubbleya]

Its none of anyones freakin business why hes wearing it. Hes wearing it damnit, and its his right to do so. Thats what freedom of speech is for, to allow people to express themselves. I dont like what neonazis say, but Id die for their right to say it. Its nobody elses job to enforce their morals on someone else unless theyre being paid to, which a public school teacher is NOT. If you have a problem with that, send your friggen kids to a private school and stop trying to make other people live how you want them to.

First of all, it is a SCHOOL, based on a UNIFORM (and biased imo especially historically) curriculum. Payed for by his parents and others parents tax dollars. The vast majority of which want their kids to get the best education they can.

If he were the only student at the school your argument would hold weight. He is not, it can be argued that the depiction of both anger and guns on a T-Shirt would interfere with how the school does its job and thus infringes on the other students rights to public education.

[MarkM]

A perfect example of why a school uniform should be made compulsory....no issues can be made and everyone looks the same, no distractions. Even for kids with limited income this isn't an issue as a uniform is priced to a level that is affordable or if not then financial help is provided. All that leaves for the Teachers is enforcement of skirt lengths, shirts in or out ties done up or not, hell make it simple a coloured polo shirt and black trousers/skirt and no trainers, how hard would that be to enforce? You are at school to learn not make a statement, you have plenty of time later in life to do that.

[Muzikman]

A perfect example of why a school uniform should be made compulsory....no issues can be made and everyone looks the same, no distractions. Even for kids with limited income this isn't an issue as a uniform is priced to a level that is affordable or if not then financial help is provided. All that leaves for the Teachers is enforcement of skirt lengths, shirts in or out ties done up or not, hell make it simple a coloured polo shirt and black trousers/skirt and no trainers, how hard would that be to enforce? You are at school to learn not make a statement, you have plenty of time later in life to do that.

Yeah man...then everyone can run around looking like Angus Young

[luke]

I graduated in '86 from a public school, I was constantly hounded by my principle for wearing plain white tee shirts.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

You shouldn't be able to wear that for other reasons besides the gun...

[tony3]

I definitely say just go all set uniforms. I go to a private catholic highschool with a pretty low tuition compared to other private schools in Illinois($6300). We have much less in terms of new and improved computers, science labs, gym facilities or all that other stuff. Yet we always have much higher SAT and ACT scores, better grades and kids going to better colleges on a lower budget then the public schools around here. The school district I'm in has some of the nicest public schools in the country aswell. I personally think uniforms make school seem like a much more serious thing and not just a fun thing to do during the day, it creates a work environment that public schools don't have. Uniforms I really don't mind. Just throw them on and you are good to go.

[WickeDKlowN]

Its funny that we cant wear hats, but people can have lime green mohawks...

I have always said the same thing. I know a kid with a 6" mohawk thats purple, green, and yellow. Nobody ever says anything to him. The second I put my hat on, I have 3 different administrators trying to take it from me.

They call it a distraction, but how is it only a distraction when it's over 50 degrees?

Now I'm just waiting for someone to freak out over the two NRA stickers on my truck.

[Lohman446]

Schools are private...

Public schools are private? While they are a controlled environment they are supported by public tax money based (at least in MI) off of property taxes. They are, in theory, admistered by the desires of an elected board of education. They are supported by public money and millages. While I respect that they are locked I question the argument that they constitute private property

[Lohman446]

I definitely say just go all set uniforms. I go to a private catholic highschool with a pretty low tuition compared to other private schools in Illinois($6300). We have much less in terms of new and improved computers, science labs, gym facilities or all that other stuff. Yet we always have much higher SAT and ACT scores, better grades and kids going to better colleges on a lower budget then the public schools around here. The school district I'm in has some of the nicest public schools in the country aswell. I personally think uniforms make school seem like a much more serious thing and not just a fun thing to do during the day, it creates a work environment that public schools don't have. Uniforms I really don't mind. Just throw them on and you are good to go.

Well I don't question for a moment that private schools generally do better than public I do question the conclusion that it points to a better system of teaching. There are a lot of variables. I could promote the argument that a child going to a private school proves more involvement of the parents in teh childs education as well as both the child and parents taking it more seriously. Though I do agree that it represents a better education because of the accountability of the faculty and teachers to there "customers" its a hard argument to make solely based on scores.. too many variables

As for school uniforms. I understand the idea but is it really an education then? You will have to as an adult deal with distraction and things you may not like, Is that not one of the advantages of the socio-economic mix of most public schools? If we isolate are students from distraction or anything that they may deem mildly offensive (though not against any laws of the area) are we really serving there best interest for the future?

[wad04]

yes we are, we want to get those kids through school as fast as possible so they can expierence the real world. having distracting t shirts with guns on them could slow it down.

[Glickman]

Its none of anyones freakin business why hes wearing it. Hes wearing it damnit, and its his right to do so. Thats what freedom of speech is for, to allow people to express themselves. I dont like what neonazis say, but Id die for their right to say it. Its nobody elses job to enforce their morals on someone else unless theyre being paid to, which a public school teacher is NOT. If you have a problem with that, send your friggen kids to a private school and stop trying to make other people live how you want them to.

you loose some of your "freedom of speech" in school, and many other facilities.

period

[Lohman446]

you loose some of your "freedom of speech" in school, and many other facilities.

period

Agreed.. but is it right? In private facilities i don't care.. in public ones I begin to care. The Supreme Court is divided on past decisions that have gone that far on how far a students freedoms can be curtailed

[Miscue]

Agreed.. but is it right? In private facilities i don't care.. in public ones I begin to care. The Supreme Court is divided on past decisions that have gone that far on how far a students freedoms can be curtailed

Right or wrong... does it matter?

A school is paid for by the public, but is not "public," in the way you're making it out to be. For instance, could a 30 year old just go sit in any old middle school classroom right now? Why not? It's public, isn't it - just like you say?

At work - I can't wear whatever I want.
Going into a courtroom - I can't wear whatever I want.
In public school - I couldn't wear whatever I wanted, and I had some shirts that they made me turn inside out because I didn't realize there was a problem.

Have I ever thought that my First Amendment rights were violated? Absolutely not.

The First Amendment does not guarantee that you can do whatever the hell you want where ever you want to - that's not the point. That is NOT why we have it to begin with.

Now, on your own time - if the government says you can't say XYZ or wear XYZ, this is a violation of your rights. If you wrote a controversial book, and the government censored it - this would be a violation of your rights.

There's a time and place where these guarantees of personal freedoms are applicable.