Banned T-Shirts

Blasphemous Band T-Shirt Gets Teenager Arrested

Ban Shirts — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:42:45 +0000

A 16 year old boy was arrested on the Gold Coast of Australia for wearing an offensive t-shirt! The shirt was for the band Cradle of Filth which is an extreme heavy metal band. The t-shirt had the phrase ‘Jesus is a cunt with an image of a nun masturbating. When asked about the t-shirt after being arrested he stated “I’m not a fan of the T-shirt. I’m only wearing it because it’s a band T-shirt and it’s rare,” said Arron. “I don’t actually believe the stuff. I’m not satanic or anything like that. I hate that stuff. I just wear it around the house.” This same shirt got someone else arrested in England in 2005 and the person wearing it got a £40 fine and was and sentenced to 80 hours community for wearing the shirt in England. There is no actual image to be found of the shirt just the censored version. For more info check out: The Sun and Gold Coast Stage

Utah State University Slogan “I’m Proud of My A” Gets Attention

Ban Shirts — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:41:26 +0000

Utah State University t-shirt was released with “Go Blue or Go Home” on the front and on the back “I’m Proud of My A” quickly became controversial. A stands for Aggies but administration felt the shirt might make some feel uncomfortable when at basketball or football games. In response to the concerns the t-shirt designer changed the slogan from “I’m proud of my A” it was change to “I’m proud of the A”. Source: Foxnews.

Transformers T-Shirt Banned at Airport

Ban Shirts — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:10:32 +0000

A man was flying British Airways and was wearing a French Connection Transformers t-shirt and was stopped in security. On the t-shirt the Transformers character Megatron is holding a gun and because of the gun it was not allowed to be worn past security. The man was carrying his luggage and changed t-shirts in the security line. After changing the t-shirt he was informed that if he put the shirt back on that he would be arrested. Source: The Edge of Madness

Horry Kow T-Shirt Racist and Banned by Cubs

Ban Shirts — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:00:36 +0000

A t-shirt manufacturer plans on suing the Cubs for not allowing them to sell what the Cubs suggest is a racist/offensive t-shirt outside of Wrigley Field. The manufacturer believes it is their first amendment right to sell the t-shirts and plan on taking legal action so they can continue selling the t-shirts outside the park.

The racist t-shirt is of a cartoon bear cub “Horry Kow” with slanted eyes and oversized Harry Caray glasses. The shirt is meant to make fun at the Japanese pronunciation of Caray’s “Holy Cow” call. Source: Chicago Tribune

Kiss Our Class Goodbye T-Shirt Banned at School

Ban Shirts — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:49:22 +0000

Students created a t-shirt with the phrase “Kiss Our Class Goodbye” - 09 and if they wear the shirt to school they have been told that they will face punished. When administrators heard that students were going to wear them to school an email was sent to families that stated “…if students wear these shirts to school it will be seen as willful insubordination and be treated as such.” Currently any shirt that is sold by school groups must be approved by administrators. Via: TwinCities.com

Number 69 T-Shirt Banned in Middle School

Ban Shirts — Sun, 25 May 2008 07:31:02 +0000

A middle school student in Massachussets was suspended for wearing a t-shirt with the number 69 on it.

Check out a video interview with the girl who was suspended from school.

Virginity Rocks T-Shirt Stirs Debate at School

Ban Shirts — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:52:59 +0000

The Rutherford Institute is charging schools in Albermale and Charlottesville City for violating students rights. Students wore pro-abstinence messages to school but told by authorities that they were not allowed to wear them and to turn them inside-out.

The questionable t-shirts had the phrase ‘virginity rocks’ in bold black letters right across the front. However, it has been up for debate whether or not the students were actually told to stop wearing the shirts. In response to accusations of student rights violations the following statement was issued:

___________
STATEMENT ISSUED BY ALBEMARLE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN RESPONSE TO THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE PRESS RELEASE ALLEGING CENSURESHIP REGARDING T-SHIRTS

Albemarle County Public Schools vigorously denies the allegations raised by The Rutherford Institute today in its press release and e-mailed letter to the Albemarle School Superintendent regarding an alleged warning by school officials “to cease wearing t-shirts to school that proclaim an abstinence message.” This denial comes after an investigation by the Division into the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident.

As revealed by the Division’s investigation, Albemarle High School students were never told “to change their t-shirts or turn them inside out.” According to school officials familiar with the situation, in April, several Albemarle High School students wearing “Virginity Rocks” t-shirts asked the principal if it was permissible for them to wear the shirts, to which he responded that it was. There was no request by the principal for the shirts to be removed or turned inside out, and no administrative action was taken at that time or subsequently.

Albemarle County Public Schools understands and strongly supports the First Amendment rights of its students. It regrets that The Rutherford Institute did not contact the school or division administration about its concerns until this morning, and that no conversation occurred prior to the news release being issued.

“I appreciate the opportunity to share the full facts of this situation, and can assure our students and their parents that Albemarle County Public Schools works very hard to protect all the rights of our students, including free expression, as we strive to provide a positive and productive learning environment.” , said Albemarle School Superintendent Pam Moran in discussing the incident.

Lee P. Catlin - Community Relations Director

via: NBC29

Be Happy Not Gay T-Shirt Debate Continues

Ban Shirts — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:23:06 +0000

A federal appeals court listened to arguments today to determine whether or not a high school student will be allowed to wear the banned anti-gay t-shirt ‘Be Happy, Not Gay’. The decision will be made by a three-judge panel. The appears hearing was held because of a student who wore the shirt during the schools National Day of Truth at school. The American Civil Liberties Union filed brief officials stating that it does not support either side but provides a “path for the court to follow.” The ACLU believes that the court should balance the rights and “Harassment should be the line.”

Source: Daily Herald

KKK T-Shirt Gets Student Arrested and Students Fear for Safety

Ban Shirts — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:14:20 +0000

A student at a middle school in Simpsonville was arrested and suspended for wearing a t-shirt that had a noose design and Ku Klux Clan reference. As a result the school increased security and some students stayed home from school Friday in fear of what might ensure between black and white students. Some of the fears were from information being passed around on the internet about violence because of the t-shirt, The student wore the shirt under another shirt and revealed the racist shirt during lunch. The charges to the student were disturbing school and the school is pushing for expulsion.

Source: Greenvilleonline

Student Believes School Policy on Offensive T-shirts is Unconstitutional

Ban Shirts — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:59:44 +0000

Student Tyler Chase Harper was punished for wearing an anti-gay t-shirt to Poway High School back in 2004, His attorneys are not asking a federal appeals court to declair the school policy unconstitutional. The student believes that he has the right to wear t-shirts with offensive speech. To make matters more interesting Harper wore the shirt on the Day of Silence which is an annual event to protest harassment of gay, lesbian and transgender students. The federal district judge ruled in the past that Harper’s freedom of speech are not protected when at school.

The most recent appeal argues that the school’s policy that bans hate speech does not “respect the broader free speech rights students enjoy under California law…and the policies are facially unconstitutional and violate the law.” We are in year four of Harper trying to prove that his rights were violated. As we have seen in the dozens of other cases featured on this blog these cases rule in favor of the schools who have the right to limit certain forms of free speech.

Source: SPLC