A young boy claims he was 'kicked out of class' after he wore a t-shirt that said there were only two genders.
Liam Morrison appeared before the Middleborough School Council last month to give his side of the story.
Speaking at the televised meeting, the 12-year-old recalled his father having to come and pick him up from John T. Nichols Jr. Middle School several weeks earlier after he was removed from gym class.
Morrison said at the time he was wearing a t-shirt which had the slogan 'there are only two genders' written across it.
Advert
Teachers allegedly told him it was upsetting other pupils and 'disrupting education'.
By not allowing him to wear the t-shirt in class, Morrison said the school was preventing him from expressing his First Amendment right.
He also rejected the claim that other pupils were distressed by the message.
Advert
"They told me that I wasn't in trouble, but I sure felt like I was," he recalled.
"I was told that I would need to remove my shirt before I could return to class. When I nicely told them I didn't want to do that, they called my father.
"Thankfully, my dad, supportive of my decisions, came to pick me up."
He added: "What did my shirt say? Five simple words, 'There are only two genders'. Nothing harmful. Nothing threatening. Just a statement I believe to be a fact."
Advert
Morrison also said that he never tries to stop other students from expressing themselves.
He said: "I don't complain when I see Pride flags and diversity posters hung throughout the school. Do you know why? Because others have a right to their beliefs just as I do."
The young boy also said that the incident had not deterred him and had not changed his views on the subject.
Advert
He added that it had, if anything, strengthened them and made him realise that he was not alone.
"I know that I have a right to wear a shirt with those five words," he said. "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.
"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 may not only be me. There might be more soon that decide to speak out."
Advert
UNILAD has contacted Middleborough Public Schools for comment.
Dominic Smithers