Okay, they're saying the shirt's a "distraction."
From Delaware Online:
Thirteen-year-old Stephen Truszkowski said he's doing what his mother taught him to do - standing up for his beliefs.
But officials at Everett Meredith Middle School in Middletown say he is doing something else - becoming a distraction.
Truszkowski wore a white, short-sleeved T-shirt to school Friday with the words, "The Real Terrorist Is In The White House," written in black on the front, and "End the Tyranny" written on the back.
School officials told him the shirt was inappropriate and if he didn't cover it up, he would be suspended.
Truszkowski covered it up, like he did earlier in the week when he wore the shirt to school, as well as another time two weeks ago. But this time, he confronted the principal with a copy of the school dress code in hand.
"I told him that based on the school code, he had no right to tell me to cover it up," he said. He said the shirt does not violate the school's dress code because it's not profane or violent.
The teen feels the school is infringing on his first amendment right to free speech.
"I think they violated my rights because I wore the shirt to express my opinion, that we shouldn't have gone to war," Truszkowski said. "I'm not saying I don't respect the soldiers, but I think what Bush is doing is inappropriate."
Here's the code (or the gist of it):
According to the Delaware Code, the school board of each public school district has the authority to establish and enforce a dress code to "promote an orderly, disciplined school environment and to encourage uniformity of student dress."
Student apparel that is distracting, hinders the educational process or "advertises, glorifies or symbolizes any illegal substances, contains derogatory phrases, profanity or glorifies violence or criminal behavior" is not permitted to be worn, according to the Appoquinimink School District dress code. Other Delaware school districts have similar dress codes.
Maybe the school's got a point. Unfortunately, for any student of that district who wants to exercise his or her free speech in a similar fashion (no pun intended), their ability to do so depends on those making that subjective call on what attire can be considered a "distraction."
Kudos to Truszkowski, by the way. Young Americans like him give me hope for the future of our country.