Girl Disciplined For Wearing Dam T-Shirt
Student Sent Home 2 Days In Row
A souvenir T-shirt from a national landmark has a Needville, Texas student fighting for her rights and a school defending its dress code policy, Houston television station KPRC reported Friday.
The T-shirt says, "Somebody went to the Hoover Dam and all I got was this 'Dam' t-shirt."
When Heather Mercer, 12, wore the shirt Thursday, she was told to change or be disciplined. She refused, claiming it's her First Amendment right to wear it, and was sent home.
Her parents support her decision to fight.
"I love it. It's my constitutional right ... talking about the dam," Mercer said.
But the Needville Independent School District superintendent, Gary Gazaway, said it is not about rights.
"We feel it didn't fit the dress code," Gazaway said.
The school district's policy prohibits pictures, emblems or writing on clothing that is lewd, offensive, vulgar or obscene.
Gazaway said he and the school principal feel Mercer's T-shirt falls in that category.
"Our dress code reflects community values, so we make decisions based on that," Gazaway said.
Mercer said she would be back at school Monday wearing the controversial T-shirt again. She and her family have agreed to fight it all the way, even if they have to home-school Heather.
The T-shirt says, "Somebody went to the Hoover Dam and all I got was this 'Dam' t-shirt."
When Heather Mercer, 12, wore the shirt Thursday, she was told to change or be disciplined. She refused, claiming it's her First Amendment right to wear it, and was sent home.
Her parents support her decision to fight.
"I love it. It's my constitutional right ... talking about the dam," Mercer said.
But the Needville Independent School District superintendent, Gary Gazaway, said it is not about rights.
"We feel it didn't fit the dress code," Gazaway said.
The school district's policy prohibits pictures, emblems or writing on clothing that is lewd, offensive, vulgar or obscene.
Gazaway said he and the school principal feel Mercer's T-shirt falls in that category.
"Our dress code reflects community values, so we make decisions based on that," Gazaway said.
Mercer said she would be back at school Monday wearing the controversial T-shirt again. She and her family have agreed to fight it all the way, even if they have to home-school Heather.
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