Anti-Bush T-Shirt OK In School, Court Rules

August 31, 2006 6:50 p.m. EST
Shaveta Bansal - All Headline News Staff Writer

Montpelier, VT (AHN) - A three-judge panel at the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned a federal court ruling that said the Williamstown middle school had authority to ban pictures of drugs and alcohol on the shirt that was critical of President Bush. Principal Kathleen Morris-Kortz had said the T-shirt with anti-Bush messages worn by Zachary Guiles also had images of cocaine and a martini glass which violated the state's dress code policy, which prohibits clothing that promotes the use of drugs or alcohol.

In a 3-0 ruling, however, the court said the censorship of images by the school had violated Guiles' right of freedom to speech.

"The pictures are an important part of the political message that Guiles wished to convey, accentuating the anti-drug (and anti-Bush) message," the court wrote.
The shirt called the president a lying drunk driver who abused cocaine and marijuana, and labeled Bush the "chicken-hawk-in-chief" who was engaged in a "world domination tour."

Guiles, a seventh grader, was suspended for one day in May 2004 when he refused to cover up the pictures of drugs and alcohol after a student and parent had complained about the shirt. He had been wearing the shirt once a week for two months. A day after his suspension, Guiles wore the shirt with duct tape over the images.

Guiles, now 15, said he was pleased with the outcome. "I think this is a very good sign that even with the current administration and the way the country is going there can still be a justice that allows free speech," he said.

Here is another example of how important it is to have a President like George W. Bush in office to continue get place good judges on the bench. These nuts judges are out of control!