Seventh Grader Sues School Over Right to Wear Pro-Life T-Shirt

[mlchance]

I can’t imagine how an issue like abortion could become a discussion topic in a public school without parents being upset about their children being taught that abortion is a good thing.

One of the most pernicious errors is to limit reality to what one can imagine.

Students, even 7th graders, could be asked within the framework of a debate or position papers to complete an investigation of the issues behind the abortion debate. This could easily be done in an even-handed manner that doesn’t require the teacher to take sides or even express his own opinions on the subject.

Grading for the assignment would be based on an objective rubric published ahead of time for the students to use. This rubric would focus not on student’s position, but on how well the student met curriculum objectives for the assignment, which would be the same objectives regardless of the assignment’s topic.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[mkingdomlvr]

One of the most pernicious errors is to limit reality to what one can imagine.

Students, even 7th graders, could be asked within the framework of a debate or position papers to complete an investigation of the issues behind the abortion debate. This could easily be done in an even-handed manner that doesn’t require the teacher to take sides or even express his own opinions on the subject.

Grading for the assignment would be based on an objective rubric published ahead of time for the students to use. This rubric would focus not on student’s position, but on how well the student met curriculum objectives for the assignment, which would be the same objectives regardless of the assignment’s topic.

– Mark L. Chance.

I can believe this is possible-it’s not that that’s making me go

I simply can’t reconcile this position and others with the number of posts I’ve read here that public education has become too liberal and public schools indocrinate children with liberal opinions. Now that the issue is about a child who wants to support an opinion that is in accordance with Catholic teaching, suddenly the tone changes.

 

[mlchance]

Now that the issue is about a child who wants to support an opinion that is in accordance with Catholic teaching, suddenly the tone changes.

But that’s not what’s happening. No one I recall reading in this thread has called for a suppression of pro-abortion perspectives among students. Instead, they’re objecting a vague dress code, the perception of aribtrary enforcement of that code, and the suppression of student expression in general.

IOW, you’re shrugging your emoticon shoulders at some imaginary bugaboo.

The school was wrong. There’s apparently nothing in their dress code that forbids either pro- or anti-abortion messages on T-shirts. Instead, what they have is an essentially meaningless prohibition against “inappropriate” material.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[st_lucy]

I can believe this is possible-it’s not that that’s making me go

I simply can’t reconcile this position and others with the number of posts I’ve read here that public education has become too liberal and public schools indocrinate children with liberal opinions. Now that the issue is about a child who wants to support an opinion that is in accordance with Catholic teaching, suddenly the tone changes.

I am not understanding you. I don’t think anyone is disagreeing that the public schools have gotten off track with some left wing agenda’s. What we (or at least I) are/am saying is now is the time for this to change. Why can’t we let these children learn what it is they are making a statement about. I have total confidence in our youth to be able to do this. (not so much with our adults though). Schools have always been the perfect place for learning, now why don’t we put that age old idea to work.

And I am not sure why you think that now we are changing our tones because it is “in accordance with Catholic teaching”? All I am saying is why not let the children figure it out themselves by getting all the facts straight.

I don’t understand why this is an issue and why some would be all up in arms about having a discussion like the truth about abortion, and to say that 7th graders are not ready for this. I know many 7th graders and even younger children who are more then ready for this and in fact state their opinions on a daily bases with those peers who agree and disagree with them. And you know what they all still seem to get along just fine after the debate is over. They may still not see eye to eye but they have left the debate knowing something new. Learning is always good.

 

[Janet1983]

"Seventh Grader Sues School Over Right to Wear Pro-Life T-Shirt

A California mom says her public school administrators violated her daughter’s First Amendment rights when they ordered the seventh-grader to take off her pro-life T-shirt."…

Full article here: foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530284,00.html

I read the article and that is really sick!
This girl has every right to her own opinion and if she wants to put it on a shirt, there shouldn’t be an issue with that. The pictures on the shirt can actually be found in textbooks and nobody complains about those. So the pictures cannot be held up as a good reason to force her to get changed and not have breakfast.
The political message on her shirt is a matter of her opinion and cannot be taken away by the school. It did not incite any hatred or fights on school premises, so where is the reason for this?
The reason is that some employees of the school seem to be anti-life and do not want to be confronted with that. This is just wrong!

 

[rpp]

I am siding with the school district on this one. I don’t see this as a free speech issue. Whether the t-shirt was pro-life or pro-choice, the school district should enforce their dress code.

Let’s assume that half of the students at the school are pro-life and half are pro-choice, and that they ALL wore t-shirts to school supporting their respective positions. Obviously, this would make for a hostile environment that could easily get out of hand. The school district is trying to ensure student safety as well as an environment that is most conducive to learning.

Well., at least you are consistent.

 

[rpp]

Would you feel the same way if the student was wearing a pro-choice t-shirt?

I stand by my original post. If you let one person wear a politically confrontational message on their clothing - then you have to let all the students do the same thing - and the end result could be a very tense situation.

The student and her parents likely expected this type of reaction from the school. I think they orchestrated the whole situation to get the publicity they are now receiving.

The rule is not applied to political shorts. If you actually read up on this, you would see that students wore Obama shirts, etc. This is clear discrimination on the part of the school and anyone else who supports their decision.

 

[rpp]

Quite right. The school’s policy of banning “inappropriate subject matter” is way too vague to be useful. It lends itself completely to arbitrary enforcement. Furthermore, if school personnel did indeed put their hands on the girl in order to forcibly escort her out of area, they blew it yet again.

Solution: Implement a real dress code and get better trained personnel.

– Mark L. Chance.

So wearing a Shirt that says “Oakland Raiders” should be banned because it may annoy Denver broncos fans. Be serious.

 

[mlchance]

So wearing a Shirt that says “Oakland Raiders” should be banned because it may annoy Denver broncos fans. Be serious.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[remjsmom76]

Well they should follow suit to our school districts here. All of our public school districts have a very strict uniform policy. All students are to wear kakhis and white or navy blue polo shirts, with dress shoes and shirts tucked in and a belt. You can not dress in any other way or they send you home. There are certain days that you can wear regular clothing but only on picture days and award ceremonies and even then its super strict. Girls are not allowed to wear spaghetti strap shirts or dresses. The dresses have to be 2" above the knee or LONGER any shorter than that, you get sent home. No caps and no chains. Its super strict here.

 

[Jane_Weitzel]

Is it a greater good to allow a person a life or to allow a woman the ability to resist a 9-mo. pregnancy? There are objective truths which people just don’t want to face.

 

[tcurrey]

I am siding with the school district on this one. I don’t see this as a free speech issue. Whether the t-shirt was pro-life or pro-choice, the school district should enforce their dress code.

Let’s assume that half of the students at the school are pro-life and half are pro-choice, and that they ALL wore t-shirts to school supporting their respective positions. Obviously, this would make for a hostile environment that could easily get out of hand. The school district is trying to ensure student safety as well as an environment that is most conducive to learning.

This will be my shortest post ever.

Sorry, Sir, but you are wrong.

 

[SouthrnCatholic]

I hear over and over again about liberal public schools indoctrinating children to liberal positions regarding abortion, homosexuality and other social issues. I hear complaints all the time about college professors being too liberal and indoctrinating young people. I can’t imagine how an issue like abortion could become a discussion topic in a public school without parents being upset about their children being taught that abortion is a good thing.

I think “infatuated” would be a better word than “indoctrinated.”

 

[SouthrnCatholic]

Is it a greater good to allow a person a life or to allow a woman the ability to resist a 9-mo. pregnancy? There are objective truths which people just don’t want to face.

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” ~ Mother Theresa
I believe she has a great point here.
Though I don’t believe this is the place to discuss this. A new thread or an already ongoing one would probably be the more appropriate place.

 

[David_Zampino]

I read the article. A few thoughts . . .

1. If indeed force was used on the girl (as the suit claims) the school is potentially in a world of hurt. Unless teachers were actively involved in breaking up a fight (or some similar circumstance) you DON’T TOUCH.
2. If indeed the school’s policy was accurately reported, the loophole is large enough to drive a Mack Truck through it. “Inappropriate subject matter” is, in this context, largely in the eye of the beholder. It essentially gives the school “authority” to choose, on a whim, which points of view may or may not be expressed. This is dangerous.
3. There is a difference between “controversial” and “inappropriate”. Perhaps the school educators in this situation need to consult a good dictionary! Was the shirt controversial? Of course it was – especially in a public school. Was it inappropriate? Not by any reasonable application of the word.

 

[tcurrey]

I read the article. A few thoughts . . .

1. If indeed force was used on the girl (as the suit claims) the school is potentially in a world of hurt. Unless teachers were actively involved in breaking up a fight (or some similar circumstance) you DON’T TOUCH.
2. If indeed the school’s policy was accurately reported, the loophole is large enough to drive a Mack Truck through it. “Inappropriate subject matter” is, in this context, largely in the eye of the beholder. It essentially gives the school “authority” to choose, on a whim, which points of view may or may not be expressed. This is dangerous.
3. There is a difference between “controversial” and “inappropriate”. Perhaps the school educators in this situation need to consult a good dictionary! Was the shirt controversial? Of course it was – especially in a public school. Was it inappropriate? Not by any reasonable application of the word.

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

 

[David_Zampino]

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Hey, what can I say? Sometimes I get it right!

Blessings,

 

[rpp]

I read the article. A few thoughts . . .

1. If indeed force was used on the girl (as the suit claims) the school is potentially in a world of hurt. Unless teachers were actively involved in breaking up a fight (or some similar circumstance) you DON’T TOUCH.
2. If indeed the school’s policy was accurately reported, the loophole is large enough to drive a Mack Truck through it. “Inappropriate subject matter” is, in this context, largely in the eye of the beholder. It essentially gives the school “authority” to choose, on a whim, which points of view may or may not be expressed. This is dangerous.
3. There is a difference between “controversial” and “inappropriate”. Perhaps the school educators in this situation need to consult a good dictionary! Was the shirt controversial? Of course it was – especially in a public school. Was it inappropriate? Not by any reasonable application of the word.

Well put!

 

[David_Zampino]

Thanks!

 

[Andrea22]

I don’t know if this has been brought up already but my only problem with the t-shirt is that there are very young kids at the school. My son is 6 years old and I am currently instilling in him the value of life into him and getting him to pray for the unborn and their mothers. I still have not brought up the word abortion or the “culture of death” theme to him because I don’t think it is age appropriate. I have not told him that mothers choose to kill their babies and that it is legal to do so.

Slowly, methodically, and deliberately I am introducing him to the tougher questions in life. Such as good vs. evil in examples that are relevant to him in his age bracket. Such as why are some kids so mean? I am teaching him to love his “enemies” though I don’t use that word. And I am introducing him to the value of obedience and redemption/reconciliation when one disobeys.

These are themes that re-occur in our lifetimes and it is so simple to introduce them when the kid is young. Having them firmly rooted from this age forward the more complex issues are dealt with much easier.

I do not want to ruin his innocence by showing him all the ugliness of the cluture of death and I do protect him from it as much as possible. I think that a pro-life t-shirt is appropriate to wear in a high school but not in a k-8 school.