That was when the court decided to weaken the Tinker standard. The school really does have to show it would be a serious disruption.
The broader issue is there are many U.S. conservative Christians who feel that public schools have become hostile to their faith.
Americans are deeply divided over homosexuality in our society. But if school officials and community members use the ground rules of the First Amendment, they can reach agreement on how public schools can guard the rights of all students in a safe learning environment.
In my view, schools ought to allow students to express various points of view as long as it's not hostile. I don't think, in my view, the T-shirts don't rise to the level of creating a hostile environment. I do think that some things go overboard.
This is not a Sunday school course. I think the legislature didn't do its homework, didn't think about the ramifications of this.
Generally speaking, private and religious schools are not subject to the First Amendment.
I think the school is very smart to put this in the handbook,
Some of the courses I've encountered around the country over 20 years would not pass muster in a court of law. They're closer to Sunday School than legitimate academic courses.
The concept of religious freedom is largely ignored in the curriculum of our nation's public schools.