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T-shirts stir up school
A Spotsylvania County middle school principal asked students who donned anti-abortion T-shirts Tuesday to remove them after the shirts caused what school officials called a "disruption."Date published: 4/29/2004 By KRISTIN DAVIS A Spotsylvania County middle school principal asked students who donned anti-abortion T-shirts Tuesday to remove them after the shirts caused what school officials called a "disruption." A 12-year-old student at Battlefield Middle School brought the shirts to school as part of a national student anti-abortion T-shirt day, said Erik Whittington of Stafford County-based Rock for Life, which organized the event. Rock for Life is a division of the American Life League in Stafford, a national group working to ban abortions. According to Whittington, the T-shirts were distributed in at least three Spotsylvania schools, and to about 40 students at Battlefield. On the back of the shirt is a large picture of a living, 4-month-old fetus in the womb and the words: "Do you really believe this isn't a baby?" The bottom of the shirt says, "Abortion is homicide." The Battlefield student distributed the shirts as class began Tuesday morning, said Sara Branner, who spoke on behalf of Principal Sheila Smith. "The students put them on and went to class," Branner said. The shirts sparked a "disruptive" debate in several classes, Branner said, and a teacher reported the incident to Smith. Branner said the students were called to the office and asked to remove the shirts based on a countywide school dress code that says students must dress in a manner that is not disruptive. The students removed them. Whittington criticized the principal's action, citing the First Amendment and a student's right to free speech. He also noted a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says students have the right to express themselves in public schools. The exception is that students can't disrupt class work or cause disorder, according to the court's 1969 ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines School District. "There seems to be no problem with students wearing Playboy bunnies and marijuana leaves on their shirts," Whittington said. "These are not rebellious kids. They're smart people not causing problems." At least one parent was happy with the principal's decision. Krystal Courtney said her son simply wanted the free T-shirt and was unaware of its message. "We haven't discussed abortion in our home," Courtney said. "It's upsetting that it came to light in school." To reach KRISTIN DAVIS: 540/368-5028 kdavis@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 4/29/2004
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