Orcutt student ordered to take off Bill Clinton ‘rape’ shirt

October 10, 2016

Clinton rape shirt

Orcutt Academy High School administrators ordered an 11th grade student to remove a shirt he was wearing that pictured former president Bill Clinton with the word “RAPE” underneath. [KCOY]

Brett Abel said he wore the shirt in order to encourage people to go online and do some research. School officials said the shirt was a distraction to other students and teachers.

Rhett Carter, the high school principal, referenced Orcutt Academy’s dress and grooming policy in explaining the decision to forbid Abel from wearing the shirt. However, it is unclear which section of the policy Abel is accused of violating.

“Clothing, jewelry and personal items (backpacks, fanny packs, gym bags, water bottles, etc.) shall be free of writing, pictures or any other insignia which are crude, vulgar, profane or sexually suggestive, which bear drug, alcohol or tobacco company advertising, promotions and likeness, or which advocate racial, ethnic or religious prejudice. The administration will make final decisions regarding dress code interpretation,” the policy states.

Abel contacted the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU lawyers then reportedly contacted Orcutt Academy’s lawyers.


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Which do we think is more likely:

1. This kid was riled up by a 20 year old claim against someone who was President before he was even born, or

2. this kid wore a shirt that he knew would offend and piss off some people so he could get a reaction and some attention?


I’m sure the school would not let a student wear a shirt with the word rape on it, no matter whose photo was above it. There are undoubtably students at that school who have been a victim of sexual assault. Is it fair to expose these students to a negative emotional trigger of past trauma just because some delinquent wants to wear something offensive to get attention? Sure, he has the right to free speech, but he can do it on his own time and not at a venue that others are required by law to attend.


Ladies & Gentlemen,


With all due respect, I feel Orcutt Academy Principal Rhett Carter ought to resign his position immediately. Leaders in our public schools must not be allowed to substitute their own political preferences under the guise of enforcing school policy. Notice how Principal Carter could not cite the specific portion of the policy that this young American was accused of violating.


While students in our public schools are subject to a dress code, the code itself must not be discriminatory and arbitrary. The so-called leaders of the Orcutt Academy are obviously trying to squash the right of this student to express his political preference and previous court rulings have upheld the broad rights of minor youth to engage in political speech.


Orcutt Academy and their leaders are wrong. Mr. Carter ought to resign.


Just saying,


Josey


I wonder how many anti-Trump teeshirts went unnoticed?


Ya, that’s pretty offensive.


No place in schools for that kind of political vitriol.


Yeah, no reason students should have to learn what real life is about.


Yeah, students should not have to look at Bill Clinton’s image in school, for sure!


Wearing that t-shirt certainly does present a ‘clear and present danger’…….to the true character of Bill Clinton and the folk that elected him, as a man of ‘action’ not just words.


About 40 years have passed since the Juanita Broaddrick affair …. Paula Jones ……..

Lewinsky etc etc. & Ken Starr forgives some of them & swept it all under a rock.


Come on Now, this kid WAS breaking the rules! Just the pic alone, less the word RAPE was crude, vulgar, profane and sexually suggestive. What else do you think of when you see that face? Besides, the “Free Speech” in school is Only reserved for the teachers, Never the students!