LaStaysha Myers's censored t-shirts

The ACLU filed a lawsuit in federal court against a high school that twice punished a student for wearing t-shirts expressing her support for gay rights. LaStaysha Myers, a heterosexual 15-year-old student at Webb City High School in Missouri, was twice sent home from school last November for wearing homemade t-shirts; first, one bearing several handwritten slogans such as "I support the gay rights!" and "Who are we to judge?" and the next day one that bore a rainbow and the Webster's dictionary definition of "gay": "M[e]rry, happy." Before censoring Myers, administrators routinely allowed students to wear shirts expressing other messages, including endorsements of the Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns, students' views on abortion, and religious messages.

Status: Victory! The school settled the lawsuit and agreed not to censor student t-shirts in the future.

News
> ACLU Secures Promise from Missouri High School to Stop Censoring Student's Gay-Supportive T-Shirts (6/23/2005)
> ACLU Exposes Censorship at High Schools in Ohio and Missouri (4/6/2005)

Legal Documents
> Myers v. Thornsberry - Complaint (4/6/2005)
> Myers v. Thornsberry - Declaration of LaStaysha Myers (4/6/2005)
> Myers v. Thornsberry - Declaration of Leda Myers (4/6/2005)
> Myers v. Thornsberry - Memorandum in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction (4/6/2005)
> Myers v. Thornsberry - Motion for Preliminary Injunction (4/6/2005)

Additional Resources
> Speaking Out With Your T-Shirt (1/30/2006)