Teen who wants to wear anti-gay T-shirt takes battle to court

[DeeJayH]

Teen who wants to wear anti-gay T-shirt takes battle to court :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State
A Neuqua Valley High senior has gone to federal court seeking the right to wear an anti-gay T-shirt to school next month on the day after a national event in support of gays is scheduled in schools.

Heidi Zamecnik, 17, is asking the court to order her school and Indian Prairie District 204 to allow her to express her anti-gay beliefs on April 19, the day after the 11th annual "Day of Silence'' is scheduled to protest harassment of gays in schools. According to the Web site DAY of SILENCE : April 18, 2007,students and teachers across the country plan to observe the day in silence "to echo'' the silence that gay students face all the time

first, what happened to freedom of speech
second, I cant believe 'gay day' has been going on for 11 years and i never heard about it. My son is 18, but maybe it was not in his school
third, why is this being pushed by school districts
how many other 'minorities' need a day/week/month to be assimilated into this country
not to mention, the overwhelming majority of kids, atleast the ones I know, are alot more accepting of alternative lifestyles than my generation
why is this even necessary?

 

[jallman]

first, what happened to freedom of speech
second, I cant believe 'gay day' has been going on for 11 years and i never heard about it. My son is 18, but maybe it was not in his school
third, why is this being pushed by school districts
how many other 'minorities' need a day/week/month to be assimilated into this country
not to mention, the overwhelming majority of kids, atleast the ones I know, are alot more accepting of alternative lifestyles than my generation
why is this even necessary?

Well, the reverse question can be asked: Why is it necessary for this student to plaster her personal beliefs on a t-shirt...I would be interested in seeing what this shirt actually says before making any judgments though.

 

[Ikari]

If it's on school property, the school may set the rules.

 

[Dr_Patrick]

first, what happened to freedom of speech
second, I cant believe 'gay day' has been going on for 11 years and i never heard about it. My son is 18, but maybe it was not in his school
third, why is this being pushed by school districts
how many other 'minorities' need a day/week/month to be assimilated into this country
not to mention, the overwhelming majority of kids, atleast the ones I know, are alot more accepting of alternative lifestyles than my generation
why is this even necessary?

I could see your argument if this weren't a civil rights issue. If homosexuality were proven to be a choice then this wouldn't be an issue because the person wearing the shirt would just be displaying their views on the subject. Think of it this way; it would be like someone wearing a shirt that says "I don't like black people." You can't afford a person displaying homophobic slogans freedom of speech and then not afford it to someone dispaying racist slogans.

 

[danarhea]

first, what happened to freedom of speech
second, I cant believe 'gay day' has been going on for 11 years and i never heard about it. My son is 18, but maybe it was not in his school
third, why is this being pushed by school districts
how many other 'minorities' need a day/week/month to be assimilated into this country
not to mention, the overwhelming majority of kids, atleast the ones I know, are alot more accepting of alternative lifestyles than my generation
why is this even necessary?

1) IMHO, the kid does not have the right to dress as he wishes in school. Schools have the right to set dress codes. It's none of the Feds business.

2) On the other hand, why is the school promoting "gay day" in the first place. I wonder why parents are not outraged enough to sue the school district.

 

[Dr_Patrick]

1) IMHO, the kid does not have the right to dress as he wishes in school. Schools have the right to set dress codes. It's none of the Feds business.

2) On the other hand, why is the school promoting "gay day" in the first place. I wonder why parents are not outraged enough to sue the school district.

I don't see how observing a day in remembrance of kids who have gotten harassed for being homosexual has anything to do with promoting homosexuality or a 'gay day' as you put it.

 

[WI Crippler]

I don't think the kid should be able to wear a shirt like that on school property, however is there really a need for gay day in high schools?

 

[jallman]

I don't think the kid should be able to wear a shirt like that on school property, however is there really a need for gay day in high schools?

No more need for a gay day than there is for black history month.

 

[ARealConservative]

1) IMHO, the kid does not have the right to dress as he wishes in school. Schools have the right to set dress codes. It's none of the Feds business.

2) On the other hand, why is the school promoting "gay day" in the first place. I wonder why parents are not outraged enough to sue the school district.

Regarding #1 - I agree.

Regarding #2 - individual communties are so varied - this is likely an example of a community that is very progressive regarding sexuality. I'm curious what grounds you think the school should be sued based on.

 

[Gibberish]

1) IMHO, the kid does not have the right to dress as he wishes in school. Schools have the right to set dress codes. It's none of the Feds business.

I agree.

My highschool in Long Beach, CA bannend all students from wearing certain shoes, sporting jersey's, color combinations, etc. because they advertised gang affiliations. This same highschool would not allow skimpy clothing for women either. My highschool in Huntington Beach, CA didn't have any of these bans and women and men walked around in bathing suits (the school was less then a mile from the beach). It is up to the school to enforce their own dress codes to create a safe and aggression free environment.

2) On the other hand, why is the school promoting "gay day" in the first place. I wonder why parents are not outraged enough to sue the school district.

I only see one instance when a "gay day" would be appropriate, the school doesn't sponsor it and students aren't required to participate.

 

[OKgrannie]

2) On the other hand, why is the school promoting "gay day" in the first place. I wonder why parents are not outraged enough to sue the school district.

Aside from the fact that it is a student-led event, many schools are doing everything they can to educate students about bullying in order to prevent more instances like Columbine.


DAY of SILENCE : April 18, 2007

"DAY OF SILENCE, April 18, 2007: The Day of Silence is an annual event held to commemorate and protest anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools. Students and teachers nationwide will observe the day in silence to echo the silence that LGBT and ally students face everyday. In it's 11th year, the Day of Silence is one of the largest student-led actions in the country."

 

[DeeJayH]

If it's on school property, the school may set the rules.

is it right though to allow the promotion of something (gay day), yet prohibit the voice of the opposition?

 

[Ikari]

It may not be right, but it is the school's choice.

 

[DeeJayH]

I could see your argument if this weren't a civil rights issue. If homosexuality were proven to be a choice then this wouldn't be an issue because the person wearing the shirt would just be displaying their views on the subject. Think of it this way; it would be like someone wearing a shirt that says "I don't like black people." You can't afford a person displaying homophobic slogans freedom of speech and then not afford it to someone dispaying racist slogans.

so when, for example, was a t-shirts saying 'n!ggars suck' deemed illegal?
if the shirt said Kill fags (or kill n!ggars, per my previous example) I could understand, as it is promoting violence but nothing in this article seems to show this is what we are dealing with

I do know when i was in college, in Daytona Beach, I bought a shirt, during bike week, that said
If you cant Eat it or F#ck it, piss on it
1 teacher said he would kick me out if i wore it again and made me turn it inside out for the remainder of the class
And I think that shirt is probably more offensive than what this girl was planning on wearing. but until we know exactly what she was planning, it is just assumptions

 

[talloulou]

I'm all about school uniforms.

No need for logos, slogans, witty, stupid, or arrogant obnoxious attitudes, nor in your face proclaimations on clothing while in school.

Rather than have judges cherry pick and choose which tees are protected under "free speech" the kids should just be put in uniforms. They aren't at school to advertise their beliefs, prejudices, sluttiness, virginity, or anything else.

At this point I'm really just getting fed up with all these lawsuits regarding tee shirt sayings. Since the parents can't be trusted to send their kids to school in proper attire the schools should just go to uniforms or clothing with no words and/or pics.

I would not allow my daughter to go to school in a shirt proclaiming she likes big ***** nor would I have her attend with a shirt displaying "VIRGIN" accross her chest. It's just distracting nonsense. No pro gay or anti gay shirts. No virgin and no slut shirts. No Jesus is my homeboy nor Atheist tees.

Just put an end to the nonsense already. What the hell happened to common sense? Plus we are going to end up raising kids who are a bunch of tards that believe their clothing should speak for them. I don't really need to know a girl is a lesbian the moment I meet her because she splashes the word lesbian across her chest. Nor do I need to know some chick is a virgin or a slut before I've heard her speak.

They'll probably all grow up to be a$$holes that plaster their car with $0.99 bumper stickers that they've mistaken for wise words of wisdom.

 

[DeeJayH]

No more need for a gay day than there is for black history month.

no need for either IMO
it certainly has nothign to do with previous groups assimilating into america, as they never had an Irish Pride day when the Irish were the scurge of immigrants, etc...

 

[DeeJayH]

It may not be right, but it is the school's choice.

a bs copout

 

[Ikari]

Not in the least, that is school property and they set the rules. It's not my place to tell them no, if that's the choice they wish that is how they can do it. They aren't forcing people to participate in the event so I don't see anything fundamental about it being wrong.

 

[talloulou]

Well, the reverse question can be asked: Why is it necessary for this student to plaster her personal beliefs on a t-shirt...I would be interested in seeing what this shirt actually says before making any judgments though.

It said "BE HAPPY, NOT GAY." Just imagine the brainpower that went into that one. :roll:

 

[jallman]

It said "BE HAPPY, NOT GAY." Just imagine the brainpower that went into that one. :roll:

That's not all it said...the article says it "partially stated" "Be happy, not gay". I wonder what the rest said.

 

[OKgrannie]

:think:

is it right though to allow the promotion of something (gay day), yet prohibit the voice of the opposition?

What is being promoted here is NOT gay day, but a FREEDOM from harassment, bullying, etc, for a minority group. Schools are well-known for promoting such things as cooperation, fair play, sportsmanship, honesty, integrity, respect for others, etc. without any problem from not presenting the opposite views. :think:

 

[talloulou]

That's not all it said...the article says it "partially stated" "Be happy, not gay". I wonder what the rest said.

I heard on the radio the front said "Straight Alliance" in small letters with "Be happy, not gay" done in much bigger letters on back.

 

[jallman]

I heard on the radio the front said "Straight Alliance" in small letters with "Be happy, not gay" done in much bigger letters on back.

Okay, then the question begs...Is she wearing the shirt out of a need to show solidarity with straight students and a statement that straight students not be harassed? My guess is no.

So her "statement" is nothing more than an undermining of a student sponsored humanitarian event that promotes a general respect and tolerance of everyone in the community. I would say the school has every right to quash such spitefully divisive expression.

 

[mikhail]

The thing is what kind of people take this kind of thing to court in the first place if i had worn a t-shirt at school that was deemed offensive and was told not to wear it again my mum would have said "dont wear it again" not "right lets get down the court house".

Its *******s like these people who are the problem.

 

[DeeJayH]

Not in the least, that is school property and they set the rules. It's not my place to tell them no, if that's the choice they wish that is how they can do it. They aren't forcing people to participate in the event so I don't see anything fundamental about it being wrong.

so you have no problem with a school discriminating against free speech
not hate speech
but free speech

remember, though you may not agree with it, as i do not, many people, not just christians, see homosexual behaviour as 100% wrong
so to promote something 'wrong' should mean that they allow others to protest
you either promote freedom of speech 100% or you eliminate it completely
there shouldnt be a middle ground

gang colors are irrelevant to the discussion at hand, because gang colors denote a criminal organization, not a 'freedom of speech' issue

and i agree with tal about the slut virgin sh!t too
no place for it in school