Someone Should Sue These Individuals For Inciteful Behavior

(Los Angels, California) A San Diego County school district was sued Wednesday for allegedly violating the civil rights of a student who was suspended for wearing a T-shirt reading "Homosexuality is Shameful."

A federal suit filed against the Poway Unified School District says Tyler Chase Harper was suspended for expressing his "sincerely held religious beliefs" during and after an April 21 "Day of Silence." During the national event, high school and college students remain silent to show support for homosexuals, bisexuals and trans-gender students.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

"Because it's a legal matter, the district is unable to comment," said Sharon Raffer, spokeswoman for the 32,000-student school district.

Harper, 16, of Poway, is a sophomore at Poway High School. According to the suit, he is a Christian who believes that "homosexual behavior is immoral, damaging to the practitioners and to human society in general, and is demonstrably contrary to the teachings of the Bible."

According to the suit, on April 21 he wore a T-shirt hand-lettered with the words "I Will Not Accept What God Has Condemned" on the front and on the back it read "Homosexuality is Shameful" and "Romans 1:27," a reference to a Bible passage.

When he wore a similar shirt the next day, a classroom teacher told him that he was violating the school dress code and must remove the T-shirt or go to the office, according to the lawsuit.

The suit claims that the school's assistant principal said the shirt violated the code because it had homemade printing and was "inflammatory," and that the teenager was suspended by the principal when he refused to remove it.

The lawsuit also contends that a sheriff's deputy whom it did not identify told the student that the shirt "could encourage uprising and violence against homosexuals" and that a school vice principal said he must "leave his faith in the car."

According to the lawsuit, Poway High School's student policy handbook states that the dress code forbids "violence or hate behavior, including derogatory connotations directed toward sexual identity." It alleges the policy is too broad and vague.

The school district policy forbids expressions of "racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice" that might create a "clear and present danger" of unlawful acts or disruption of school operations, the suit said.

But it argued that Harper's messages did neither.

"When are public school officials going to learn they are not allowed to silence constitutionally protected student speech just because they disagree with the student?" said a statement by Robert Tyler, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, which filed the suit.

The fund asked the court to bar the district and school from "selectively banning religious expression" and grant at least $25,000 in damages.

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based defense fund provides funding, training and legal aid to lawyers and others to defend what it defines as "the legal battle for religious freedom, sanctity of life, and the preservation of marriage and the family."

The suit, which names the district and high school and various officials, alleges violation of the student's rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and equal protection of the law.

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/06/060304schoolSuit.htm

Whilst i can respect both parties decision in this instance i also think that something needs to be done.

We have recently had cases where gay students were suspended for wearing 'pro gay' clothing and now this 'anti gay' case has hit the court system.

I honestly cant beleive that nobody has filed a suit for insiteful behavior i mean c'mon thats still a crime isnt it? :eek:

Regards,

Lee

It is such a spiteful, hateful and non-tolerant society we live in isn't it?

That sort of blatant double standard in Lee's post just makes me sick.

Is it just me, or does it seem that the more fervent the religion the LESS understanding and forgiving the zealots become?

And the hypocrisy is not lost on me when the basic tenant of the good book is "love thy neighbour".

Gives me the shits.


:baby:

Don't get me started. I respect free speech to the fullest, and if the kid wanted to wear an "I love God" or "What Would Jesus Do?" shirt, I would be all for it. Anything that expresses your beliefs in a positive way is wonderful in my book, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. The very second you infringe upon the rights of another person, you have given up your right to free speech. If I wore a shirt that said "yay, I'm Gay", then I have that right. If it said, "Straight People Suck", then I'm in voilation. Not everyone is gay and not everyone is Christian, so if each one of those wants to feel proud of being what they are, that's a wonderful thing. I just don't understand why people have to try to control other's beliefs to find justification in thier own.

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Originally posted by Ounique
Anything that expresses your beliefs in a positive way is wonderful in my book, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. The very second you infringe upon the rights of another person, you have given up your right to free speech.

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I'm not sure if it's your wording or I'm missing your meaning...

But that's the whole point of free speech. Being able to say what you want when you want to. Whether the saying on a shirt is inflamatory, derogatory, racist, sexual or the like... We should NEVER lose the right to say it.

However in this case the school had set a policy/guideline and THAT is what needs to be argued. The saying on the shirt and the hand written lettering goes against the school policy and in that is the policy a hinderence of the students right to free speech, beyond personal like or dislike of what's said?

Good bad or inflammatory - whether I personally hate what is being said or not, I do not want anyone to lose the right to say it. Even though it pisses me off to no end.

If the government can silence one person for saying what they think, then it's not too far before we all get our mouth's zipped.

Let me be clear, that I'm not taking this kids side for what he wrote on his shirt or his thoughts or the intolerance that it asserts, etc. But it's his right to say and write it I'm for. Again, it pisses me off to know end. And personally wouldn't mind kicking him in the ass for it!

We have people who wear Confederate Flag ensembles down here. They sell tee shirt and short sets at some of the beach shops down here. I, personally, dispise the fact that they are even sold. But I have to argue that the person wearing it has as much right to wear it, as I do when I say out loud that I think they are an asshole for wearing it.

This is going to be an interesting case to watch. I'd like to see the defense on this, personally.

Gary-Alan

Good point, GA. I do think that my assesment of the situation was a little hard. Nobody should ever lose the right to free speech, but hate retoric is a problem. Speech that directly seeks to take away another's right or cause violence towards another should be dealt with. How does one handle this? It's a tough situation.

Some years ago in Pittsburgh, the Klan had a rally in a public park. The city allowed them their say, but held a rally for peace a few blocks away. While all this was going on, a black woman went to the Klan rally, got up on the stage and declared that while she did not agree with anything they had to day, she applauded the fact that they had the right to say it. It was quite an interesting day.

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Harper, 16, of Poway, is a sophomore at Poway High School. According to the suit, he is a Christian who believes that "homosexual behavior is immoral, damaging to the practitioners and to human society in general, and is demonstrably contrary to the teachings of the Bible."

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I have $100 here thats says he's pleasuring himself to gay internet porn as we speak! And in a few years, he'll be a regular at Southern California's best bathouses.

FREAKS, FREAKS AND MORE FREAKS.
All in the name of God LOL that fucking makes me laugh... what a fucked up God that is.

Don, that's exactly what I'm talking about, babe!

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but hate retoric is a problem. Speech that directly seeks to take away another's right or cause violence towards another should be dealt with. How does one handle this? It's a tough situation.

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I agree with what you're saying whole heartedly. Unfortuantely the only way I know how to deal with this situation is to teach other tolerance and understanding - then go from there. But outside of my own little world, we know that's not going to happen magically and make everything right... it's part of the ever changing mindset.

In the case of the child writing on his shirt... He should learn the lessons of freedom of speeach AND the consequences of his actions - that what he wrote, whether right or wrong in his mind can have an adverse effect on other people... he should also be taught that before taking an action he should consider others. Unfortunately, this child will probably hear nothing of the sort and be applauded for fighting for his rights and the rights of other people who think like him. I can only hope (REALLY hard) that somewhere in all of this, someone (maybe a teacher) can at least put this idea in front of him, as well, for him to ponder.

I'm with ya baby!

Gary

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Originally posted by Scorpio
FREAKS, FREAKS AND MORE FREAKS.
All in the name of God LOL that fucking makes me laugh... what a fucked up God that is.

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More battles, quests and wars have been fought in the name of God (or gods) than for any other reason.

Scary!

X, I thought the same thing LOL

GA

Where can I get my hands on a t-shirt like that? I would love to dye it pink and get some hardcore gay sex photo splashed on the back of it too. Fight fire with fire :army:

(hehe...think that's the first time I have ever been able to use the :army: smily!!)

cheers,
Luke

this case is pretty strange.

the fact remains that Sure we all have the right to Free Speach, We all have to right to say what we will.

But where does that line get drawn. Does a shirt that puts down a percentage of our population demand that we at that point remove his civil rights to wear it. i woudl say no. BUT theres a line that gets drawn when your shirt says Homosexual's Should Die, or kill Homosexuals. thats where the line is not free speech since those words are telling others to Act not Speak on an issue. the fact is they could have just thorwn the kid out of school for having the work

Homosexuality is Shameful with out even making an issue of Free Speech.


the fact that the shirt had the words Sexual on it would be grounds for removal anyway in a school LOL thats the road they should have taken to get the point across. Not make it a God Verses the United States case.

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Originally posted by Chilihost
Where can I get my hands on a t-shirt like that? I would love to dye it pink and get some hardcore gay sex photo splashed on the back of it too. Fight fire with fire :army:
(hehe...think that's the first time I have ever been able to use the :army: smily!!)
cheers, Luke

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OK, this have got me started - prepare for a long tome !!!!

Sign me up for one of those shirts Luke !!!

Although I am not gay (well, not presently anyway - I always say that if I ever come out of the closet you won't have a choice, but I digress :)), I DESPISE intolerant people, especially homophobes and even MORESO religious zealots.

I had the best t-shirt years ago - on the front in big letters "I AM NOT GAY" and on the back " BUT I HAVE FUCKED A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO ARE".

I also HATE calling myself "gay friendly" because that in itself says to me that it is something different to be gay and also something different to be friends with people who are. That sucks the big one.

People to me are people. I HATE pigeon-holing of ANY description.

I often refer to myself (in jest) as a member of an ever-declining minority group - a WHAMWASH (white heterosexual Australian male with a sense of humor !!), in reality I consider myself passionate, understanding, tolerant (although I suffer fools and idiots of ANY persuasion BADLY), overtly physically affectionate to ALL around me, and self-confident to the point of being considered obnoxious - I am a straight shooter who has a "nasty" habit of saying EXACTLY what I think DIRECTLY to those I want to say it to. I don't pull punches and am consistently told that I say the things most people want to say but don't for whatever reason. I take that as the ultimate compliment that I am not just being true to other people, but true to myself.

That comes easy being 6'2", 230lbs, bald, with a head like a smashed crab from my half dozen pro boxing matches as a heavyweight. I don't get scared or generally worry what people think of me.

I also like to steal Kevin Spacey's line - I am not heterosexual, I am not homosexual, I am just sexual.

OK, i'm ranting and raving now, this is a topic that shits me to tears.

I look forward to meeting many of you in Florida in August - I'll be easy to pick - I'll be the big, bald, loud, funny Aussie guy at the gay parties and gay bars with my gay busines partner, doing so NOT because I am scared or nervous or a wannabe, just because I LOVE to have a good time.

Be prepared for my infamous hugs if I like you.

And Luke, order the shirts dude.

I'll wear it proudly and PRAY for the well-being of the fucktards who have a go at me for wearing it.

Here endeth the rant.

:bandana:

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Originally posted by CuriousToyBoy
this is a topic that shits me to tears.

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I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. A lot of my friends are in the same sort of boat. I'm very good friends with a straight woman who is a slave in a gay leather family. Its about service, not sex. Talk about being open minded, LOL! I've been very fortunate to get to know people from all walks of life and to be open to all of them. I just cannot comprehend someone who would hate someone else without even knowing them.

I also wanted to comment on the above quote "shits me to tears". I've never heard that expression but I can tell you know that I'll be saying that all the time now. LOL!

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Originally posted by Ounique
I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. A lot of my friends are in the same sort of boat. I'm very good friends with a straight woman who is a slave in a gay leather family. Its about service, not sex. Talk about being open minded, LOL! I've been very fortunate to get to know people from all walks of life and to be open to all of them. I just cannot comprehend someone who would hate someone else without even knowing them.

I also wanted to comment on the above quote "shits me to tears". I've never heard that expression but I can tell you know that I'll be saying that all the time now. LOL!

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Cheers Don ;)

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I just cannot comprehend someone who would hate someone else without even knowing them

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REALLY nails it for me - I cannot get my head around that either.

But most of all I am proud of being able to expand your vocabularly to include another gesture of human kindness and understanding!!!!

Ha ha ha ha :groovy: :groovy:

Yes everybody is different! It's a fact and also a blessing because otherwise we would not have some of the beautiful, kind, caring people around the world that we have today. We need to accept these differences be they good or bad and work with them to make our lives and the world a better place.

I think this incident is basically about a somewhat misguided take on Christianity but that said everyone has the right to free speech. Whilst there is grey areas people should be allowed to exercise their right to free speech however they also need to understand the consequences of their actions. The school did the right thing in suspending the guy (he broke the rules) and he therefore suffers the consequences. When I was at school the same rule was applied over and over, you wear something offensive, derogatory or hateful and you get suspended.

I don't profess to know everything but I subscribe to one rule - be open minded.

The situation sucks, I agree, it shits me to tears, I agree. The main item that bothers me the most is the fact that these "Christians" are intolerant of others views - I don't see the gay community going around bashing Christians or anybody else for that matter.

Be accepting and understanding but don't be hateful!

Allan

P.S. I'll have a t-shirt too!

adults have the right to free speech, but welcome to real life. my daughter works in a bank. if you wear a shirt with any words on it, you're fired. it doesn't matter what the words are. they're not saying you're not free to own it or wear it on your own time - they deem such attire inappropriate IN THEIR BANK.

the school didn't take the kid's shirt and burn it. and a shirt isn't speech. our local schools here have dress codes. religious references are generally out, among other things. and you DON'T have freedom of speech in school - try a little freedom of speech out on any teacher and find yourself suspended. you can't say anything sexual. you can't say anything profane.

there are MANY things you cannot wear or say in most schools - and most christians applaud most of these restrictions.

ya can't have it both ways, christians. you don't want dirk the skater wearing a naked chick on his shirt? or melissa the cheerleader wearing a shirt that says "fuck christmas"? then you don't get to wear a shirt that is trying to shame other people, and that forces your religious beliefs onto people who cannot leave the school and are forced to see your shirt.

aside from my personal disgust at this kid with the shirt, you can't have a dress code that restricts everything except what YOU want.

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Originally posted by basschick
aside from my personal disgust at this kid with the shirt, you can't have a dress code that restricts everything except what YOU want.

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I don't think that was the point.

I don't care what he or anyone else wears, I don;t have to like it, but people can wear what they like.

It's the goddamn double standards that get my goat!

Or, for Don especially, shit me to tears!!

:bandana:

CuriousToyBoy - i think that it IS the point, or at least the point by which the school system can overturn this bullshit lawsuit.

try sidestepping the issue of what the shirt actually says. the school systems restrict kids in school from anything they choose. in some bad neighborhoods of l.a. where wearing gang colors was causing problems, they have public school kids in uniforms again. i mean, you can't wear the color red because it might be a gang color, and people might shoot you.

kids in school don't have any rights. they never have. they can't choose their clothes, their speech, or anything else. they don't have the freedom to go to the bathroom or say "i'm not doing this" about something. they can't leave the premises or eat if they're hungry unless it's lunchtime. NO one in school has freedom of speech or actions. they never have.

so why should this kid and his shirt be except from the basic and total removal of rights any other kid in public school suffers?