This week the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is filing a suit against a Fort Wayne Community Schools superintendent on behalf of a high school sophomore who had her I heart Boobies bracelet confiscated by her assistant principal.
The girl’s mother, Julie Andrzejewski, is a breast cancer survivor and her daughter only wore the bracelet by Keep a Breast organization to raise awareness of breast cancer and to support the research efforts. I think this is admirable. The ACLU is filing the suit because they feel it is an infringement of the girl’s first amendment right to freedom of speech.
I would fully back this if the teen were older or if they were trying to stop her from wearing the bracelet anywhere, ever. The school is arguing that it is inappropriate and that the schools will be flooded with pubescent boys wearing “I HEART BOOBIES†on their bracelets and t-shirts.
If it could be determined that there was a genuine interest in helping promote breast cancer research, couldn’t the students buy a bracelet that is pink with the pink ribbon, same message, less words. Or raise funds and awareness by another means?
The “I heart Boobies†bracelets are the hot topic because they are cute and girls like cute. The boys like them, most likely, because they are immature and they think it’s funny to wear clothing and accessories that say “I HEART BOOBIESâ€.
They want the right to wear it because they want to push the limits as far as they can; meaning they want to push the borders at all sides. They want to fight the establishment. It has nothing to do with whether or not this one teen girl will be allowed to wear the I heart boobies bracelet; it’s that the bracelets are not appropriate attire to wear to school.
I think the ACLU’s suit should be thrown out. Dress codes have been in place for many years, for reasons. Some people, when left to their own devices, lose their minds and all discretion.
I think the teen girl should be allowed to wear her bracelet everywhere except school. Wear it loud and wear it proud. If she wants to wear it to school, maybe a minor word change could work. How about, “I Heart BREASTS�
We need to de-dirtify what is being stated. A lot of kids are embarrassed to talk about body parts using the correct words, so they blush and suddenly a vagina has become a Vajayjay. A penis becomes a dick and a breast becomes a boobie. Cancer is deadly and we should treat it with all the reverence and seriousness that it demands.
Andrzejewski said she and her daughter aren’t suing for money. They only want students to be able to wear the I heart Boobies bracelets again in an effort to raise awareness of breast cancer research.
I hope a compromise can be made to help raise awareness and promote breast cancer research. What that will be to fit within the parameters of the high school’s dress code, I don’t know.
What are your thoughts on high schoolers wearing the I heart Boobies bracelets and t-shirts? Do you think it should be allowed or should it not for violating dress code?
Photo Source: Loser Kids
