A 12-year-old Massachusetts boy's controversial T-shirt and his middle school's decision not to let him wear it have led to a lawsuit against the town of Middleboro.
Attorneys for Liam Morrison, a seventh-grader at Nichols Middle School, appeared in court Wednesday after filing the lawsuit on his behalf.
In March, Morrison wore a shirt reading "There are only two genders" to the school and was told to change. The school said that he was violating its dress code, and the principal told Morrison other students had complained about it.
He refused to change and ended up going home during the school day.
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Wearing the shirt again in May, Morrison was again told to remove it. That time, he covered the words "only two" with the word "censored."
At Wednesday's hearing at Boston's Moakley U.S. Courthouse, a judge said Morrison could not wear the shirt to Nichols Middle School while the case is still being decided.
Attorneys for Morrison claimed in the federal court that his First Amendment rights were being violated.
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"In a school like Liam's, the opposite view about sex and gender and the way that relates to human identity is expressed all the time, whether it's through flags in the hallways or posters or pride events," attorney Logan Spena said. "The school is permeated with one particular viewpoint on this subject, and Liam perceives that there's pressure not to be able to express a different view."
Transgender rights activist Mason Dunn says you cannot compare a pride flag with a shirt denying gender identity — which he said could incite violence.
"Messages of pride are messages of support, messages of affirmation, not messages of hate or bias," Dunn said.
Morrison addressed the Middleboro School Committee on April 13, after the first time he was told to remove the shirt.
"I know that I have a right to wear a shirt with those five words. Even at 12 years old, I have my own political opinions, and I have a right to express those opinions. Even at school. This right is called the First Amendment to the Constitution," he said. "My hope in being here tonight is to bring the school committee's attention to this issue. I hope that you will speak up for the rest of us so we can express ourselves without being pulled out of class. Next time it might not only be me — it might be more students who decide to speak out."
Neither the school district nor the attorney representing the town would comment to NBC10 Boston about the case.
The next hearing was set for June 13. Attorneys representing Morrison wanted to get approval from the judge on that date for Morrison to wear his shirt before the school year ends on June 26.
