I Love My Wiener T-Shirt - Banned at a High School

Posted by Ban Shirts

October 2, 2007

A student who is a junior Sesser-Valier High School was asked to remove his “I (heart) My Wiener” t-shirt or leave school. The t-shirt has an image of a dachshund dog and the text I heart. The student said that he wore the shirt to pay tribute to his daschund “Peewee” that died four months ago. The student claims that the teachers have their minds in the gutter about the t-shirt and there is nothing offensive about it. The student chose to go home and was given zeros in all his classes because it was an unexcused absence. The school dress code prohibits “students from wearing any clothing that is disrupting to the educational process, interferes with the maintenance of a positive teaching and learning climate or compromises reasonable standards of health, safety and decency”. The judgment call is made by the Principals. Because the student is a minor the Superintended of the school district was unable to discuss the disciplinary action against the student.

The family is considering legal action against the school and according to Southern Illinois University Carbondale law professor they might have a case that they could win because the shirt does not promote drugs or violence. The issue is the constitutional rights of free speech are reduced for students and are NOT the same as for the general public.