Fifth Grader Suspended for Wearing Anti-Obama Shirt archived

Have at it... I started to highlight sections, but I would have ended up with more highlighted than not.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/23/fifth-grader-suspended-for-wearing-anti-obama-shirt/

An 11-year-old boy in Colorado was suspended from school after he refused to take off a shirt that read, “Obama is a terrorist’s best friend.” His father says that the school is violating his son’s First Amendment rights.

Daxx Dalton, a fifth grader at Aurora Frontier K-8 School in Aurora, Colo., wore the homemade shirt on a day when students were asked to show their patriotism by wearing red, white and blue, according to MyFOXColorado.com.

When he was given the choice of turning the shirt inside out or being suspended, Dalton chose suspension.

“They’re taking away my right of freedom of speech,” he said. “If I have the right to wear this shirt I’m going to use it. And if the only way to use it is get suspended, then I’m going to get suspended.”

Dann Dalton, the boy’s father — a “proud conservative” who has taken part in anti-abortion protests — told MyFOXColorado.com that the school is making a mistake by suspending his son.

“It’s the public school system,” he said. “Let’s be honest, it’s full of liberal loons.”

The school district would not discuss the case, but said the district “respects a student’s right to free speech, such as the right to wear specific clothing,” but they reserve the right to review any situation that interrupts the learning environment, MyFOXColorado.com reported.

Dalton’s suspension was for willful disobedience and defiance, not for wearing the shirt. His father said he intends to sue the district.

Maybe not the "best" friend, but, endorsed by Hamas.

Would he have been suspended for wearing the same shirt as the guy at Marshall?? Perhaps he should consider himself lucky nobody called DYFS.

Other t-shirts this kid's father should have forced on him:

Ignorance - a terrorist's best friend
Intolerance - a terrorist's best friend
Conservatives - a terrorist's best friend
Xenophobia - a terrorist's best friend
Racism - a terrorist's best friend
Hatred - a terrorist's best friend

Ugh, I could go on forever...

Expected and predictable that Fox will run lots of stories that push people's buttons and distract from serious discussion.

Posted By: jdranoveMaybe not the "best" friend, but, endorsed by Hamas.

No, not endorsed by Hamas. But nice try Joel. You're better when you're using someone else's material.

Posted By: rastroHis father said he intends to sue the district.

Now we're getting to the crux of it. Another bottom-feeder con using his son as a billboard.

Posted By: pageturnExpected and predictable that Fox will run lots of stories that push people's buttons and distract from serious discussion.

To be fair, this was a local Fox affiliate in Colorado. The piece just got picked up by the Foxnews website.

Does anyone want to discuss whether the fifth-grader has a Constitutional right to wear that shirt in school?

I think the kid's father should be reported to DYFS for child abuse.

What a f***tard.

"freedom of Speech" is supposed to protect even idiotic speech. Although, the whole thing kind of has the appearance of being a stunt.

Is it okay to start with the outrage hypotheticals?

"If this were the other way around...":devil:

"If this happened in Maplewood...":crazy:

Daxx????

Did he talk to Palin for kid-naming advice?

That kid's dad is a complete idiot...


...everyone knows that Rachael Ray is the terrorists' best friend.

Obviously there are a lot of people who are smarter than this 5th grader.

Is it worse than an anti-Bush shirt in school or a toddler with an anti-Bush t-shirt on?

That shirt's over the top and should not be allowed in school. One doesn't need to be a "liberal loon" to be offended by that.

The thread could also have done without the juvenile swipe at "Fox News", but I guess it's just too tough for some folks to stay on topic.

I love how no one seems to have a problem with the fact that he was suspended. Everyone immediately gets on his father but fails to get upset at the fact that a school district suspended a kid for exercising his amendment right. I wonder what the MOL response would be if this was an anti-McCain shirt. I'll bet none of you would have a problem with it.

Posted By: vandalayObviously there are a lot of people who are smarter than this 5th grader.

Not his father, apparently.

Posted By: jersey_boy"freedom of Speech" is supposed to protect even idiotic speech.

I believe students (or minors) give up (or do not get to claim) certain rights.

jb,

You're right - the school shouldn't have suspended him for this.

Having said that - students do not have absolute freedom of speech while at school, and a case could be made that the t-shirt was disruptive. I mean, suppose it said something more outrageous?

But I really feel sorry for the kid - 10 years old and has to deal with a whack-a-loon of a father like that.

Posted By: WxNutI love how no one seems to have a problem with the fact that he was suspended. Everyone immediately gets on his father but fails to get upset at the fact that a school district suspended a kid for exercising his amendment right. I wonder what the MOL response would be if this was an anti-McCain shirt. I'll bet none of you would have a problem with it.

I have no problem with it because it is distracting to the education process. It has nothing to do with who is called a terrorist's best friend. It's inappropriate for a school. And the idea was to wear a shirt that showed patriotism by wearing red, white and blue, not making a political statement.

I do, however, think the school is being disingenuous about why he was suspended. They say it was for willful disobedience. But that directly resulted from them asking him to take off the shirt.

Posted By: jersey_boy
Is it okay to start with the outrage hypotheticals?

DIng! We have our winner!

Posted By: WxNutI wonder what the MOL response would be if this was an anti-McCain shirt. I'll bet none of you would have a problem with it.

Posted By: rastroThey say it was for willful disobedience. But that directly resulted from them asking him to take off the shirt.

Isn't that the definition of willful disobedience?

Seriously, you can't have a day during an election year where you tell the kids to dress to show their patriotism, and then start hassling a kid who's wearing a political t-shirt for "disrupting the educational process."

Wasn't discourse the whole point of the day?

Posted By: WxNutI love how no one seems to have a problem with the fact that he was suspended. Everyone immediately gets on his father but fails to get upset at the fact that a school district suspended a kid for exercising his amendment right.

Not quite. They did give him a choice between cooperating with a school policy (and we don't know exactly what that is for them) or being punished:

Dalton’s suspension was for willful disobedience and defiance, not for wearing the shirt.

EDIT: I get your point (and agree with it!), but the technicality is still there.

Suspending the kid is stupid. He's got every right to wear that shirt.

But with a Dad like his, I truly feel sorry for this kid.

They shouldn't have told him to take the shirt off in the first place. There are no expletives on it nor any inappropriate pictures, it was merely a shirt that expressed a (stupid and untrue) message, and is protected under the constitution.

rastro - I'll bite on your question above...the kid shouldn't be suspended. As long as the shirt doesn't violate the dress code, isn't profane or offensive, and doesn't advocate violence against a group or individual, this kid should be allowed to wear the shirt. It is political speech, which is supposedly the most protected. I'm voting for Obama, but this is the kind of reaction that gives good liberals a bad name

Posted By: copyprofrastro - I'll bite on your question above...the kid shouldn't be suspended. As long as the shirt doesn't violate the dress code, isn't profane or offensive, and doesn't advocate violence against a group or individual, this kid should be allowed to wear the shirt. It is political speech, which is supposedly the most protected. I'm voting for Obama, but this is the kind of reaction that gives good liberals a bad name

Exactly. This kid (actually really his father) is a tool. But he didn't do anything wrong.

Posted By: dave23

Posted By: rastroThey say it was for willful disobedience. But that directly resulted from them asking him to take off the shirt.

Isn't that the definition of willful disobedience?

The point is that they are saying they did not suspend him for wearing the shirt. Technically that is true. They suspended him for not removing the shirt. This difference is ... ?

Schools can regulate clothing if they harm a learning environment. This shirt on a patriotism-themed day could have certainly provided an issue for discussion! School chose otherwise, and well within their rights I think.

Posted By: ragsSuspending the kid is stupid. He's got every right to wear that shirt.

What right does he have to wear that shirt?