The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Monday on behalf of the Dove World Outreach Center claiming the Alachua County school district’s policy against anti-Islamic T-shirts intrudes upon the wearers’ freedom of speech.
The shirts, which read “Islam is of the devil,” raised controversy when students were sent home from local elementary and middle schools for wearing them.
The church’s families said the shirts are protected by the Constitution under the First Amendment as religious expression.
Alachua County School District spokeswoman Jackie Johnson said the district will stand by its decision to enforce the dress code and prevent students from wearing items that are “disruptive to the learning environment and offensive to students.”
But according to ACLU of Florida executive director Howard Simon, the messages are protected under the First Amendment, which the Supreme Court has done a good job of outlining in terms of public schools.
“The shirts’ message isn’t about sex or drugs,” he said. “It’s about [the students’] views on politics, religion and history.”
Simon said the district’s decision to forbid the students from wearing the shirts crosses a line that shouldn’t be set by the school system, which is allowed to forbid certain clothing based on its offensiveness.
He said if every school restricted freedom of speech based on offending others, the freedom wouldn’t exist.
Simon said the students were not sent home from school the first day they wore the shirts because there was no disruption, but the schools later decided to forbid the shirts because of their message.
While the shirts’ message is distressing, Simon said, their appearance should have sparked school-wide discussions about religion and politics, being used as a learning tool.
“Rather than restricting speech,” he said, “it should have opened the door to more speech.”
A spokesperson from the DWOC declined to comment on the case but referred to a statement from the Rev. Terry Jones, the church’s senior pastor.
“What we are doing is what every church should be doing,” part of the statement from Jones reads, “but the churches in America and in Gainesville have become cowardly. The church’s job is to stand up and speak out on issues…and warn against false religions like Islam that masquerades itself as a religion of peace. Their desire is to destroy America, Israel and western civilization and to institute Islamic law.”
JohnnyG
Since previous writers have given such clear and substatial evidence that Islam is of the de vil (Fort Hood, 911), I thought I'd help by showing how Christianity is of the same "de vil".
The proof is: The Crucades, the Münster Rebellion, selling indulgences, witch burning, persecusion of Jews, missionary crimes in Rowanda, Tahiti, Hawaii, pastoral se x crimes, Jim Jones, Jim Bakker and the Dove Ministries of Gainesville. That's just of the top of my head.
Maybe others can add more.
JohnnyG
They absolutely have every right to wear those shirts. The schools also have every right to not let them in the door.
I'm surprised the ACLU is bothering with this.
waltonr
I'm hoping that an Islamic student actually saw the shirt and was offended. Under current federal law, the matter can then be prosecuted as hate speech. The parents/guardians of the wearer can be seriously "inconvenienced." AS IT SHOULD BE!
votermouth
Your word is NOT truth. What a gross misuse of scripture message.
anka doris
The message is pretty clear:
We are born again Christians, who chose Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that means we are obedient to his Holy Word the Bible:
My Prayer is not that you take them out of the world (school) but that you protect them from the evil one.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 17/15+17
anka doris
The message is pretty clear:
We are born again Christian, we chose Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, so when he reigns in our heart than we have to be obedient what the bible says:
My Prayer is not that you take them out of the world (school) but that you protect them from the evil one.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 17/15+17
LoreliaGilmore
Now is this a Class action suit? LOL I want to know if little johhny cried when he was told he could not wear the shirt? Are these children pawns of the adults forwarding their personal agenda. If the adults were so concerned about this message are they wearing the shirts as they go about their business in town? I would like to see how this lawsuit is going to open the door to more speech? If the Dove outreach has a beef with cowardly churches in town why don't they deal with that issue. Is this group going to file a lawsuit against Williston high School the team mascot is called the Red Devils-- what about Deviled eggs or deviled ham or the Duke Blue Devils or the Red Devil paint supply company of Geraldine.
dfroggley
Where do YOU live, youngmom? Kids CANNOT wear all kinds of things to school. Have you ever read the Students' Handbook? They have dress codes to which they are required to abide. These policies are in place to minimize disruption to the learning environment. If the Dove kids wear their anti-Islam shirts to school, what's to stop other kids from from coming to school in Klan garb? Wouldn't Jesus Christ be teaching tolerance? Parade your hate elsewhere. Let the schools do their jobs without all this distraction.
votermouth
...you all realize that we recognize your names from the stories, and if not the names, it's painfully obvious that you're the Crazies, right? What do you think you're going to accomplish by asserting your ridiculous convictions in comment form? Ohhh, right. You DON'T think. And neither do your sad, sad children who exist to fulfill your horrific dreams of bigotry and ignorance.
Do us all a favor and ask your god to bring on the apocalypse. That way, all the infidels like myself will be washed away and spared of your idiocy.
Abdulameer
How to explain the fact that the ACLU, which is right down the line, pro-Moslem, is defending the pupils' right to sport anti-Islam T-shirts? I am not convinced that the ACLU is dedicated to unrestricted freedom of speech. The Constitution prohibits the federal government from infringing upon freedom of speech, but even that is not absolute. Newspapers are not required to provide space to every viewpoint. Nor are universities required to permit anyone to speak under university auspices. Schools are not required to permit pupils to wear provocative T-shirts. Those same pupils can hold demonstrations propounding their views. But, as the commenter below notes, we have a question here of disruption of normal school procedure and learning atmosphere. The school has a right to maintain discipline. The ACLU is pushing for a breakdown of that school discipline under the cover of freedom of speech. This fits right in with the ACLU's policy of overthrowing the norms and traditions of our society under the guise of protecting the Constitution.
Tensorial
This is a violation of freedom of speech but I think the school is correct to try to keep disruptive things minimized. For all the religious people in this thread I will try to keep this respectful. A luxury you do not give others! Please read my post carefully because you need to be much less biased.
America is mostly comprised of people from the christian faith. Therefore every life our military takes can be assigned to the christian faith! Making the amount of christians killed by islam a pittance. Thus a christian clamming that the islamic faith is violent, murderous, amoral religion is an oxymoron.
Another misconception is that islam is what creates terrorism. Poverty is the main source of terrorism. Belief in some fanatical conception of reality only makes them more accepting of eccentric acts of violence. The only place this is not the case is America where we just think we are correct to kill anyone. Both religions are the same murderous institutions.
Finally I would like to say that hating people based on their religion or assuming your religion is better then their is bigotry. I'm going to where shirts that say: Religious people need mental help! Although then I would be just another bigot! Your religion has one rule that you just ignore: " Thou shalt not kill ". Not thou shalt not kill americans. Your tax dollars fund death all the time! It is sad that your ignorance is so overwhelming you can't even understand " THOU SHALT NOT KILL ".
MooseThompson
Do you guys get cult points for comment spamming every article about your stupid t-shirts? Go ahead and wear them, it's you that looks ignorant. Schools aren't teaching "the softer side of Islam." And, that is not what "led to Fort Hood." It's insulting to the vicitms and the families for you say as much.
I so look forward to the day your pastor gets busted touching boys.
freedom
We are being slowly deadened to the fact that we are losing our freedom in America. Its time that we wake up to what is happening around us! How many more girls have to be run over??? How many 9/11 and Ft. Hood attacks will it take before we wake up?????!!!! Somebody has to be the one to step up to the plate and say enough is enough. If Dove World Outreach Center has the guts to actually take a stand and act rather than talk politics, then I say more power to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GodsKingdomFirst
It is time that these things get public and that America awakes before it is too late. Freedom is at stake! While Islam is taking step by step over (like seen in Europe) we are opening them the door to do so here in America by ignoring the numerous honor killings that are happening right here in the US, by forbidding these kids to wear their shirts in school, by trying to silent those who have the courage to speak up.
Claudia
Well, I really don't see why people get offended about the truth...isn't this America?
We're not in Europe right?
This is the land of freedom and peace and true justice, but where is it all going today?
It's a shame that Americans don't want to fight for their rights no more but get offended by the truth...and if someone or a group of people dare to stand up they get persecuted like that? I simply can't believe it...in the land of the free, home of the brave...
this really has to change otherwise America will quickly become not the Land that I was so proud to be living in - dominated by islamic laws...it's horrifying!!
itsajessi
The shirts speak the truth! Jesus is the only way. What kind of future will there be if we allow the students in the schools to be led to believe that Islam is ok? The point is that without Jesus, without being born again and without repentance you are lost!!!. I support Dove World Outreach Center, and the message of the shirts!
FranIngram
Alachua County schools only want their liberal, humanistic anti-Christian version of politics, religion and history to be taught to their students. The ACLU is right - where are we going as a country when we cannot deal with provocative discussion starters, yet we give plenty of time and space in our curriculum, school board meetings and news articles to Moslem view points that only highlight the softer side of Islam. That approach led to Fort Hood - only the beginning....
youngmom
Kids can wear all kind of weird things on their shirts but when kids have the guts to wear a shirt that reflects their belief they get in trouble. Yes it is offensive to some but are we Americans so thin skinned that we compromise freedom of speech because of it? This is a free country and it should stay that way. I support Dove World Outreach Center! Islam is of the Devil.