National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day American Life League
April 29, 2008 | By Jack Yoest
UPDATE: School Officials direct student (our Diva!) to remove Pro-Life T-shirt. DEVELOPING...
The Penta-Posse L to R: Baby-Boo, The Dancer,
The Diva, The Dude, The Dreamer
The Roe Effect Today is the Sixth Annual National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day.
The bright blue t-shirt shows a baby growing and growing then black -- nothing. So simple even school age children understand what abortion does.
So compelling that even the teen-aged Dreamer donned the shirt.
Our five wee-ones will be wearing the garment-billboard today at school and around town.
Here comes trouble.
Our public school system is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic party, Planned Parenthood and the teachers' union.
(The only debate allowed is who would be better for the country, Obama or Hillary. And how awful Ronald Reagan governed and when global warming will kill us all. War is not the answer, etc and etc...)
National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day So our city is our mission field.
The schools will not be happy to see Pro-Life T-Shirts. We will be setting up a legal defense fund when the sheriff comes a-calling. Details to follow.
The American Life League sponsors the annual trouble-making event. The legal eagles at the ALL non-profit have provided a helpful handout for the students if they are confronted with the intolerant abortion lovers.
Free Speech in the public schools? We'll see.
Growing, Growing...Gone Pro-Lifers are the new Progressives.
Thank you (foot)notes:
UPDATE: It took 8 minutes before one of the Penta-Posse principals called -- comparing abortion to the disruption of "liquor, cigarettes or guns..." The school is really unhappy with the Pro-Life T-shirt. Your Business Blogger(R) was most polite. DEVELOPING...
UPDATE: The school leadership has made The Diva turn her shirt inside out -- Charmaine found out and lost her sense of humor -- the t-shirt is right side out, we think. A school official asks The Diva, "What will you say when the kindergarteners ask about your t-shirt?" The Diva doesn't miss a beat, "That doctors kill babies..."
The Diva hits the mark.
From the American Life League,
Harassment
The Diva protesting at the Afghan Embassy, 2006
She is no stranger to controversyIf you are a student at a public school, you have a right to wear a pro-life shirt to school. Our experience is that most young people who wear a pro-life shirt to school on National Pro-life T-shirt day do not have any problems. Occasionally a misguided school official may ask you to remove the shirt. This is a violation of your rights.
Read more at the jump from the good-guys at the ALL.
Click here to download a letter from ALL's legal department, which outlines the free speech rights of students in public school. Make sure you have this with you whenever you wear pro-life shirts to school.
In recent years, some students have been harassed for wearing pro-life shirts to class. Some have received detention, some even suspension. In many cases, students don’t know their rights—or where to turn for help.
To prepare for the unlikely event that you may be challenged, we suggest:
1) Print out a copy of ALL's legal department's letter–your right to express yourself–and show it to anyone who claims that your right does not exist.
2) Take detailed notes of any incident in which you are told you cannot express yourself. Pretend you’re a reporter and jot down the answers to the six major questions: “Who?” “What?” “Where?” “When?” “Why?” and “How?”.
3) Call us; we’re here to help. Call the American Life League office at 1-888-546-2580 and ask for Erik. If he’s not available, ask for Andrew.
4) If you would rather not call, you can contact us at EWhittington@all.org. Please include your detailed notes in the message. We will get back to you as quickly as possible. If you really need help quickly, you should call.
5) If you’re 17 or under, talk to your parents or legal guardian! They are important parts of your life and should be included in this. You will need their support before pursuing legal action.
What will happen next?
1) We will discuss your options regarding the local media. Your school administrators will be squeamish about news coverage of this. Journalists, however, strongly rely on freedom of speech, and will be eager to hear your story.
If you wish to remain anonymous, let us know when you call (1-888-546-2580) and be sure to make it clear if you speak to (or already have spoken to) any reporters.
2) We will help you to pursue legal action if you wish to do so. Making a stand will help prevent this kind of issue in the future.
3) In any case, we want to hear your story whether you have an incident or not. You can post it here and share it with the entire pro-life community. There are millions of us out there.
We may also feature your story in future Rock for Life or American Life League publications, mailings, blogs, videos or podcasts! Why not participate?
March 7, 2008
Dear Student,
Thank you for your desire to wear a pro-life T-shirt at your school. As American
Life League’s staff attorney, I want to assure you that wearing our pro-life T-shirts
is well within your constitutional rights in public schools. If you are interested in
the legal reasoning, it is as follows.
The U.S. Supreme Court divides public school speech into three main categories:
1. vulgar, lewd, obscene, or plainly offensive speech
2. school-sponsored speech
3. all other student speech
American Life League designs its T-shirts to ensure that they do not fall into
the vulgar, lewd, obscene, or plainly offensive category. School-sponsored
speech refers to official publications, theatrical productions and similar activities.
Simply wearing a pro-life T-shirt to school easily falls within the general student
speech category.
The wearing of your pro-life T-shirt will be governed by the constitutional
standard set forth in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District
Supreme Court case. By this standard, you have freedom of expression in public
schools as long as your speech does not “materially and substantially interfere
with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school”
or invade the rights of others.
If your school wants to stop you from wearing a pro-life T-shirt, the
administrators must meet the Tinker standard. The school “must be able to show
that its action was caused by something more than a mere desire to avoid the
discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.”
In other words, school officials must present facts showing that pro-life T-shirts
materially interfere with the school day. Without factual support, it is
unconstitutional to prevent you from wearing a pro-life T-shirt in public school.
If your public school says that you cannot wear a pro-life T-shirt, please contact
American Life League and ask for Erik Whittington, the director of our youth
program. The law is most likely on your side and we will do our best to help
you stand for life.
Yours in Life,
Andrew Flusche
Staff Attorney
AFlusche@ALL.org
