American Civil Liberties Union : Ohio School - Stop Censoring Gay T-Shirts

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Ohio School - Stop Censoring Gay T-Shirts (4/5/2005)

Zach Hust's censored t-shirt

On April 6, the ACLU of Ohio sent a letter to school officials demanding that they stop censoring a group of students who want to wear t-shirts supporting marriage for same-sex couples. A student at Dublin Jerome High School was told to take off a t-shirt that read "I support gay marriage" after administrators claimed that another student had been offended by it. The next day, about 20 students protested the action by coming to school in similar t-shirts. They were all required to change their t-shirts, turn them inside-out, or go home. Before censoring the gay-supportive students, administrators routinely allowed students to wear shirts expressing other messages, including endorsements of the Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns, students' views on abortion, and religious messages.

Status: Victory! After receiving the ACLU's demand letter, the school backed down and allowed the students to wear their t-shirts

Press

> ACLU Exposes Censorship at High Schools in Ohio and Missouri - Incidents Stand in Contrast to Recent Survey about Student Awareness on First Amendment

Additional Resources

> Demand Letter

> Speak Out With Your T-shirt

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