An Ohio father is fighting back against school administrators who punished his son for wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt, exposing yet another example of left-wing school officials trampling on constitutional rights while claiming to be offended.
At a Glance
- An Ohio father sued his son’s school district after administrators punished the student for wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt
- School officials forced the student to cover the shirt, issued disciplinary actions, and claimed the phrase was vulgar code
- The lawsuit claims violations of First Amendment free speech rights and Fourteenth Amendment equal protection
- Similar cases are pending in Michigan, highlighting a pattern of schools attempting to censor conservative political expression
Free Speech Under Attack in Public Schools
Remember when schools taught about the Constitution instead of violating it? In yet another case of educational institutions deciding they’re above the law, an Ohio father has been forced to file a lawsuit against his son’s school district after administrators repeatedly punished the teenager for wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt. The suit claims violations of both First Amendment free speech rights and Fourteenth Amendment due process protections, pointing to a troubling pattern of schools becoming political enforcers rather than educational institutions.
Watch coverage of father suing the school district.
According to the lawsuit, the harassment began in November when a teacher forced the student to cover his shirt and later issued a disciplinary “pink slip.” The principal then stepped in, prohibiting the student from wearing the shirt again, claiming the phrase is code for a vulgar expression against President Biden. As if that wasn’t enough, the student faced escalating punishments, including detention, for what the school deemed repeated violations of their conveniently flexible dress code.
Teachers Exposed Their Political Bias
The teachers involved didn’t even attempt to hide their political motivations. One teacher confronted the student saying, “I know what that means,” while another asked the leading question, “Do you like offending people?” It seems the real lesson being taught here is that expressing conservative viewpoints will get you punished, while progressive messaging gets celebrated in hallways across America. The lawsuit rightfully points out that the school’s dress code is “unconstitutionally vague” and allows administrators to selectively enforce rules based on their personal political leanings.
“I know what that means.” says a teacher.
The phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” emerged as a humorous substitute after an NBC reporter mischaracterized a crowd chanting an explicit criticism of President Biden during a NASCAR interview with driver Brandon Brown. Since then, it’s become shorthand for expressing disapproval of the Biden administration. The lawsuit correctly argues that the phrase itself is not vulgar and represents protected political expression – exactly the kind of speech the First Amendment was designed to safeguard.
A Growing Pattern of Constitutional Violations
This isn’t an isolated incident. Similar lawsuits have been filed in Michigan where students were prohibited from wearing clothing with the same phrase. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has stepped in to defend students’ constitutional rights to express political beliefs without fear of punishment. When did we reach the point where criticizing the president became forbidden in American schools? The last time I checked, we hadn’t moved to North Korea.
“Criticism of the president is core political speech protected by the First Amendment.” said attorney Conor Fitzpatrick.
The school district has predictably refused to comment on the lawsuit, hiding behind the shield of “ongoing litigation.” It’s the same cowardly response we see time and again from bureaucrats who know they’ve overstepped but lack the integrity to admit it. Meanwhile, this father and son are standing up not just for themselves, but for every student who deserves the right to express political opinions without fear of punishment from ideologically-driven teachers who seem to have forgotten that their job is to educate, not indoctrinate.
