Redneck T-Shirts - UNbanned

Posted by Ban Shirts

September 4, 2007

Supreme Court Justices decided against hearing a motion from high school officials as to whether they can force a student to change tee shirts that are derogatory toward the Southern Community. The court ruled that the word “Redneck” was not intended to harass or intimidate students at the New Jersey school.

They ruled that school officials overstepped their limits in suspending the teenager. The New Jersey teenager was suspended from school for refusing to change his redneck tee shirt. He was also criticized for wearing tee shirts with the confederate flag on them. Both shirts were bought at Wal-Mart, a store that originates in the South. The Justices express concern at the lengths that schools will go to insure that student rights are not violated, but still maintain discipline. Officials maintain that the shirt featured joke from a southern comedian know for his depiction of southern folk. This could cause tension between the students and lead to violence. Although the school has very few black students, they say the shirt violates the anti-harassment policy it had adapted.

Before this policy was introduced there were a few incidents of racial violence. The attorney for the school argued that this is a growing issue that needs to be addressed.

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