Lambda Legal
Maverick Couch, 16-year-old junior at Waynesville High School in Ohio, has had to sue in order to appear at school even as he is in that picture.
In April 2011 Maverick came to school wearing the shirt in observance of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s Day of Silence. He was called into his pincipal's office and was instructed to turn the shirt inside out. He did so. The next day he wore the same shirt and was told to remove it or he'd be suspended. Again he did as he was asked. After summer break the situation did not change; upon asking Maverick was once again told by his principal, Randy Gebhardt, that he'd be suspended if he wore the shirt. Maverick and his mother then turned to Lambda Legal
They sent a letter to the school district. The letter reinforced Maverick's First Amendment rights, and stated he has the right to wear the shirt.
Here was the response from that district
“Wayne Local School District Board of Education had the right to limit clothing with sexual slogans, especially in light what was then a highly charged atmosphere, in order to protect its students and enhance the educational environment. Consequently, the high school principal was well within the bounds of his authority to request that the student remove his T-shirt and refrain from wearing the T-shirt in the future.”
Funny, I would have thought that only a certain type of person would conclude that "Jesus in not a homophobe" is a sexual slogan, namely if that person were a homophobe; maybe that's just me. Whichever, in a just society this kid can wear that shirt if he damnwell pleases, and US District Judge Michael Barrett agrees.
From the U.S. News article
Last month Lambda Legal sued the Wayne Local School District on Maverick’s behalf, contending the district was violating the teen’s First Amendment right to free speech. “I just wanted to wear my shirt,” Maverick was quoted as saying in a Lamda Legal press release last week announcing the court settlement. “The shirt is a statement of pride, and I hope other students like me know that they can be proud, too.”
In the judgment entered May 21, U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett ordered school officials to allow Maverick to wear the T-shirt to school whenever he chooses. He also ordered the school district to pay $20,000 in damages and court costs to the teen. “We’re very happy for Maverick and all LGBT students in Ohio,” Christopher Clark, senior staff attorney for Lambda Legal, said in a press release. “If school officials had any doubt before, it’s clear now: First Amendment rights apply to all students on every day of the year, and efforts to silence LGBT youth will not go unchallenged.”
"Jesus is not a homophobe." Right on Maverick. Wear it loud.