Anti-Gay T-Shirt Banned in School District - Judge Rejected First Amendment Rights
A Poway Unified School District was pulled out of class for wearing a t-shirt with an anti-gay slogan. The student filed a lawsuit against the school in 2004 because the he believed it was his right to wear a t-shirt with a Bible verse condemning homosexuality. A federal judge recently rejected the claim.
Source: SJ Mercury
Gay? Fine By Me T-Shirt - Student gets apology
A student who wore a t-shirt that stated Gay? Fine by Me was sent home because of her t-shirt received an apology from the Spencer-Van Etten Central School District. It was later agreed that the t-shirt was a form of self-expression and that the student should be able to wear the shirt and the district schools should respect students free-expression rights.
Source: SPLC
Lesbian T-Shirt Cover-up at School
A seventeen year old student wearing a t-shirt with two interlocked female symbols was folder to cover up her t-shirt. The school’s dress code prohibits “bawdy, salacious or sexually suggestive messages” but the ACLU claims that the students should be able to express themselves and this was a case of unconstitutional censorship. The school has until January 11 to comply or will face legal action from the ACLU.
Source: AP
Terrorism and T-Shirts - FARC T-Shirts
Selling t-shirts may get you accused of terrorism, especially if you donate your profits to the wrong organizations. A few Danes learned the hard way about terrorism accusations when they decided to sell t-shirts with logos of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Luckily, Judges in Copenhagen city ruled that the individuals selling t-shirts were not terrorist groups and found not guilty yesterday after no evidence was found they were donating profits to terrorist groups.
Santa Hates You T-Shirt Causing a Stir
Urban Outfitters has been selling a t-shirt with an image of Santa Claus giving the finger with the text “Santa Claus Hates You”. Urban Outfitters has not been shy in selling controversial t-shirts in the past either. Controversy brings PR which is almost always a good thing. You can get your own for $28 (rip-off) from Urban Outfitters. No, it is not banned but t-shirts that generate buzz or controversy are always a good story here at Banshirts.com. Check out the full story at news4jax.com.
Student Student Sent Home for Pro-Gay T-shirt - Advocates taking action
Representatives from the New York Civil Liberties Union are working to get a response from the district for which a school principal sent a student home for wearing a pro-gay t-shirt. The student’s shirt stated “Gay? Fine By Me”. The Principal who sent the student home on September 21, 2007 is facing heat for sending the student home. The Principal argues that the shirt might cause a disruption. To understand the issues the school board met with parents, students and community members to discuss the issue of t-shirts at school. The issue is that the administration has rules that state they can censor t-shirts that are vulgar, promote drug or alcohol, cause a disruption or insulting or degrading. For example, a “gay bashing” shirt or a shirt against African-Americans would not be tolerated, he said. Young said that some shirts with anti-gay messages, such as a shirt that read “gay? not fine by me,” still would be constitutionally protected. But because it was a PRO-gay t-shirt it is questionable whether or not it falls under the ability of the school to censor the t-shirt. As expected the school board is reviewing their policies regarding student expression. (source SPLC)
Some Call It Stalking. I Call It Love T-Shirt Banned at WalMart
Domestic violence group lobbied Walmart to pull an offensive t-shirt from their shelves and Walmart pulled the t-shirt. The t-shirt that was considered offensive to some says “Some Call It Stalking. I Call it Love”. The organization complained as well as someone who was a victim of a stalker. No details were available on the company that manufactured the t-shirts or how many t-shirts were banned/remove nationwide at Walmart.
The reason this shirt is an issue for people is because stalking is a crime and many murder victims are first stalked. To some the shirt just isn’t funny. Walmart has pulled t-shirts in the past including a skull and crossbones t-shirt that looked too close to a NAZI SS WW II emblem.
You can still find the “Some Call it Stalking. I Call it Love” T-shirt at Cafepress.com
Source: Register=Herald
Michael Vick - Texas A&M Parody Shirt BANNED
T-shirts created by a Tech student featuring formal NFL player Michael Vick hanging the dog mascot Texas A&M were banned. The text on the shirts said “Vick Em” with reference to the Aggies slogan “Gig em”. The back of the shirt features a football player with the number seven and a rope with a graphic of the mascot Reveille in the noose. The student was trying to sell them at a game last Saturday in Lubbock.
Michael Vick currently faces five years of prison if found guilty of dogfighting charges. According to KCBD, Texas Tech University President Jon Whitmore issued the following official statement: “Texas Tech University is an institution of higher learning where values such as respect for others and civility are both taught and practiced. We will not permit individual students or any student organization to profit from selling merchandise on campus that is derogatory, inflammatory, insensitive, or in such bad taste that it reflects negatively on this fine institution, its students, athletic teams, alumni or faculty.” The students were placed on suspension and may face charges of solicitation, but the students were quick to apologize to the university.
KCBD reported later that after the Theta Chi Fraternity has been on probation the Michael Vic t-shirts have become collector items with a hefty price tag. The shirt originally sold for $10 is now being sold for $130 on ebay. However, we were unable to find these $130 t-shirts on ebay but found countless t-shirts for sale on ebay about the Michael Vick controversy.
Two Students Suspended for Don’t Blow It - Seniors .08 T-shirts
Two students at Oswego High School were suspended after they refused to change or remove their t-shirts that has “Seniors .08″ on the front and “Don’t Blow It” on the back. The Seniors .08 is was a play on words because it is not only for those who are going to graduate in 2008 but .08 is also the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers. The student claims that the “Don’t Blow It Seniors .08″ message was anti-drinking and to remind her fellow classmates that they should not drink during homecoming. Over 50 t-shirts were sold with the message. Oswego High School had five deaths that were from an alcohol related crash.
Despite what the student believed about the t-shirts being anti-drinking, the school administrators informed the student that it COULD be interpreted as promoting drinking. When dozens of students wore the red shirts to school they turned their shirts inside out following the request of the administrators…well except the student who created the t-shirts.
Source: ChicagoTribune
Homeland Security (Native American) T-Shirt Pulled from Museum
Only two days left to Columbus Day, a holiday that always raises controversy between those who celebrate the holiday and those say it should NOT be celebrated. The Homeland Security t-shirt featuring and old photo of Native Americans with guns and the slogan “Homeland Security, Fighting terrorism since 1492″ was pulled from the Colorado History Museum in the past few days.
The museum stated that they don’t see it any more because it is controversial even though it is one of the best selling t-shirts in the store. Following complaints from some that deemed it offensive, it was removed. “The shirt hints to the premise that explorers such as Christopher Columbus were essentially “terrorists” when they invaded a land that had already been occupied. Protesters to the Columbus Day holiday say that Columbus shouldn’t be celebrated for discovering America because Columbus’ “discovery” led to the oppression, degradation and deaths of hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.”
Well, its not banned on the internet! Buy it by clicking the image below.
Info Source: thedenverchannel
