Middle school reprimands student for dressing as a 'Republican nerd' in a GOP logo T-shirt
A middle school student in Jacksonville, Fla., came home from school upset one day, telling his mom that he was told to turn his T-shirt with a Republican Party logo on it inside out.
It was spirit week at Kirby-Smith Middle School, and on one of the days, students were told to dress up as nerds. But when one student, whose mother asked that local news station News4JAX not name him, decided to dress up as a “Republican nerd” by wearing a GOP shirt, he was reportedly approached by an administrator who told him that he couldn’t wear the politically charged top.
“He was home from school, and he told me, ‘Mommy, I got in trouble. I was told to turn my shirt inside out.’” the mother told the news outlet. “I said why, and he said, ‘Because the dean of my school told me to turn it inside out.’”
However, it turns out that he wasn’t actually breaking any rules outlined in the school dress code.
According to the school’s dress code, “Students may not wear any clothing or display any items which are obscene, profane, suggestive or derogatory to others.” The student’s mother immediately expressed to school administrators that she didn’t feel her son’s shirt violated any of those guidelines. The school district later agreed.
A spokesperson from Kirby-Smith Middle School told Yahoo Lifestyle that the incident was a result of “momentary confusion,” further explaining, “If an employee were wearing the shirt, it would not have been allowed. We are prohibited from such political expression on the job. However on a student, the shirt is fine.” It was also clarified that the student never received a dress code violation.
“The student and a staff member had a discussion about the shirt on Wednesday. The staff member was seeking clarification about the student dress code violation versus dress code guidelines for staff which are different,” the spokesperson continued. “During the conversation with the student, the staff member suggested the student turn his shirt inside out. However, the staff member is not aware of the student turning the shirt inside out at that time and did not at any time pursue the matter.”
The student’s mother said that the school called her to apologize again on Friday, and she says that her son will wear the shirt to school again.
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