Maverick Couch, a 16-year-old "gay student" at Waynesville High School, wanted to wear a T-shirt promoting homosexual behavior on the Day of Silence (a nationwide celebration of deviant sexuality), but after seeing it, the school administration deemed the T-shirt to be sexually inappropriate, so homosexual activists have sued the school.
UPDATE 5/22/12: Federal judge rules gay student can wear T-shirt; School must pay $20,000
-- From "Gay student sues Ohio school over right to wear T-shirt" by Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press 4/4/12
Couch, a junior at the southwestern Ohio high school, has been threatened by school officials with suspension if he wears the shirt, which bears the message “Jesus is not a homophobe,” the lawsuit says. Officials at the public school told him the shirt is “sexual in nature” and is inappropriate there, it says.
Couch said yesterday that he wants to wear the shirt at school on April 20 to show support for the Day of Silence, an annual event held nationally for students to draw attention to the silencing of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students through bullying and harassment.
Couch said yesterday that he wore the shirt, which also bears the image of a rainbow-colored fish similar to a religious symbol used by Christians, last April and was told by the principal to turn it inside out. He said he complied but was told when he tried to wear it again that he would be suspended.
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From "Maverick Couch, Gay High School Student, Sues School Over Ban Of His 'Jesus Is Not A Homophobe' T-Shirt" by Lila Shapiro, Huffington Post 4/4/12
Couch has been arguing with Waynesville High School since last April, when principal Randy Gebhardt first told Couch to turn his shirt inside out. Couch was observing Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network's National Day of Silence . . .
Lambda Legal, a national organization advocating for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, filed suit on Tuesday against Gebhardt and Waynesville school district on Couch's behalf. Lambda also filed a motion asking for temporary restraining order so that Couch could wear the shirt on an upcoming National Day of Silence.
On April 20, 2011, Couch was first summoned to Gebhardt's office in the middle of fifth period. At his school, which lacks any organization devoted to the gay community, he is one of few openly gay students. So, he alone was marking the day, wearing the T-shirt and a "No Hate" message written on his cheek in marker. He carried a white board so he could write messages (in lieu of talking) to communicate with teachers and classmates.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
