[Coach_Owens87]

AURORA, Colo.—A fifth-grader in the Denver suburb of Aurora says he's been suspended from school for wearing a homemade T-shirt that said "Obama is a terrorist's best friend."

Eleven-year-old Daxx Dalton and his father, Dann Dalton, say his First Amendment rights were violated.

Aurora Public Schools officials say they respect students' free speech rights but also watch for things that might interrupt the learning environment. They say they can't discuss the specifics of Daxx's case.

Daxx says he was given a choice of changing his shirt, turning it inside-out or being suspended, and he chose suspension.

Dann Dalton told KDVR-TV in Denver he's considering a lawsuit.


So sad that this kids idiot father made him wear a shirt to get across a political point (and a false point). what 5th grader really cares about politics, they cant vote, so why bother?

The father needs to quit watching fox, and stop torturing his kid.

http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_10534060

Pic of shirt on link

[The Guru]

Looks like his dad's shirt. 'Ol Dad using the kid to try and get a check! What a loser!

[Playboy5]

I bet nobody messes with that kid in the 5th grade, lol! GO McCAIN!

[Beetle01]

What's wrong with the kid supporting politics?
I can't believe they would do that. Of course libs are tolerant as long as your agree with them.

[thecavemaster]

What's wrong with the kid supporting politics?
I can't believe they would do that. Of course libs are tolerant as long as your agree with them.

Had the shirt read "Vote McCain," I doubt there would have been a problem. The rule is designed to catch inflammatory type things (big johnson shirts, hooters shirts, that sort of thing). Saying Obama is a friend of terrorists... that's inflammatory.

[Beetle01]

Had the shirt read "Vote McCain," I doubt there would have been a problem. The rule is designed to catch inflammatory type things (big johnson shirts, hooters shirts, that sort of thing). Saying Obama is a friend of terrorists... that's inflammatory.

It's true.

[thecavemaster]

It's true.

A kid wearing a "big johnson" shirt may well have a big johnson...relevance?
Barack Obama is not a friend to terrorists or terrorism. Your bias here renders your voice so high pitched in irrelevance that human ears cannot hear it.

[More Cowbell]

The question that must be asked is, what would have happened had the shirt been from the other side of the fence? Like if it said, "McCain wears adult diapers" or something along that line. My guess is that if school officials had suspended a kid for wearing a shirt like that, most of the national media outlets would have roasted those officials for being biased and for infringing on the kid's right to free speech. Instead, we find the kid's parents being the ones roasted.

Freedom should go both ways.

[thecavemaster]

The question that must be asked is, what would have happened had the shirt been from the other side of the fence? Like if it said, "McCain wears adult diapers" or something along that line. My guess is that if school officials had suspended a kid for wearing a shirt like that, most of the national media outlets would have roasted those officials for being biased and for infringing on the kid's right to free speech. Instead, we find the kid's parents being the ones roasted.

Freedom should go both ways.

Then the media outlets would have been mistaken. Do you think a parent should send a kid to school with a shirt on that is inflammatory, for the purpose of advocating a candidate that only the parent can vote for? I don't care which side of the aisle or political equator one resides, either way, I don't think it's o.k.

[More Cowbell]

Then the media outlets would have been mistaken. Do you think a parent should send a kid to school with a shirt on that is inflammatory, for the purpose of advocating a candidate that only the parent can vote for? I don't care which side of the aisle or political equator one resides, either way, I don't think it's o.k.

Most schools do have a rule that students are forbidden from wearing anything considered "disruptive". What exactly constitutes "disruptive" then becomes a judgment call. I'm not necessarily saying that the officials were wrong in this case. If, in their mind, they felt the shirt would disrupt the learning environment, then they did the right thing. It's hard to say they did wrong when the rule is completely based on someone's interpretation of said rule.

My comment was more directed at the media response. I firmly believe that had the shirt been anti-McCain, then the national media would have ripped the school officials for restricting the child's free speech. Instead, since the shirt was anti-Obama, the parents are the ones being ripped.

[thecavemaster]

Most schools do have a rule that students are forbidden from wearing anything considered "disruptive". What exactly constitutes "disruptive" then becomes a judgment call. I'm not necessarily saying that the officials were wrong in this case. If, in their mind, they felt the shirt would disrupt the learning environment, then they did the right thing. It's hard to say they did wrong when the rule is completely based on someone's interpretation of said rule.

My comment was more directed at the media response. I firmly believe that had the shirt been anti-McCain, then the national media would have ripped the school officials for restricting the child's free speech. Instead, since the shirt was anti-Obama, the parents are the ones being ripped.

"John McCain has Alzheimers...vote Obama." I think that shirt meets with the dress code and loses. It is offensive. It is insensitive. It is inflammatory. However, if a student wears a shirt that says, "I support gay marriage," or "I support the Iraq war," the situation becomes far more slippery.

[Beetle01]

Barack Obama is a friend with a terrorist. Its true and is a part of the election. It is in no way inflammatory.
Now if it would have said Obama hides his Arab and Muslim heritage, that would be inflammatory, but also possibly true.

[thecavemaster]

Barack Obama is a friend with a terrorist. Its true and is a part of the election. It is in no way inflammatory.
Now if it would have said Obama hides his Arab and Muslim heritage, that would be inflammatory, but also possibly true.

How did you feel about Timothy McVeigh? At any rate, Barack Obama is NOT a terrorist, will pursue Al Qaeda in Afghanistan (the real hot zone), did not rejoice on 9/11. Nonsense of the type you are espousing only mangifies divisions based on nothing, taking away from real issues being debated.

[Beetle01]

How did you feel about Timothy McVeigh? At any rate, Barack Obama is NOT a terrorist, will pursue Al Qaeda in Afghanistan (the real hot zone), did not rejoice on 9/11. Nonsense of the type you are espousing only mangifies divisions based on nothing, taking away from real issues being debated.

I feel the same about Mcveigh as I do with every other terrorist. Noone said Obama was a terrorist. He is friends with a terrorist and has an Arab and Muslim background. Of course people are going to consider that fact this day and age.

Its ognna be tough for him to pursue AL Qaeda in Afghanistan with all the cuts to the military he is planning on doing.

[thecavemaster]

I feel the same about Mcveigh as I do with every other terrorist. Noone said Obama was a terrorist. He is friends with a terrorist and has an Arab and Muslim background. Of course people are going to consider that fact this day and age.

Its ognna be tough for him to pursue AL Qaeda in Afghanistan with all the cuts to the military he is planning on doing.

Do you believe spending more money on education doesn't guarantee better quality schools? Obama is not a terrorist. The Bush family is/was great friends of certain Saudi royalty with certain unsavory connections. I do not think elder or younger Bush a terrorist or a friend of terrorists. Obama does not plan on a slash and burn funding strategy at the Pentagon. "Tell the truth/but tell it at a slant" ...is that your method?

[DevilsWin]

I feel the same about Mcveigh as I do with every other terrorist. Noone said Obama was a terrorist. He is friends with a terrorist and has an Arab and Muslim background. Of course people are going to consider that fact this day and age.

Its ognna be tough for him to pursue AL Qaeda in Afghanistan with all the cuts to the military he is planning on doing.

You do realize that McCain has also said he would cut defense spending don't you?

[DevilsWin]

Obama is not "Friends" with a terrorist. He is an aquaintence of a "former terrorist". LOL

I like to dice things up a bit.

Be that as it may. When BA was a terrorist it was a very turbulent time in American history and just like "slavery" as you have said many times. We just need to get over it already.

[More Cowbell]

"John McCain has Alzheimers...vote Obama." I think that shirt meets with the dress code and loses. It is offensive. It is insensitive. It is inflammatory. However, if a student wears a shirt that says, "I support gay marriage," or "I support the Iraq war," the situation becomes far more slippery.

I agree, with a rule like this there is no definite guideline on what to allow and what not. Again, it is all subjective as to what is "disruptive" in the minds of the school officials. You could find someone to complain that just about any shirt is offensive if you wanted to. Like, what if someone said that Nike apparel is offensive because they use sweatshop labor? Do you ban all Nike stuff?

Like you said, it's a slippery slope. At some point the line is crossed from preserving the proper learning environment, to infringing on the students' freedoms. But exactly where that line is could be debated endlessly...

[Tomcat68]

I agree, with a rule like this there is no definite guideline on what to allow and what not. Again, it is all subjective as to what is "disruptive" in the minds of the school officials. You could find someone to complain that just about any shirt is offensive if you wanted to. Like, what if someone said that Nike apparel is offensive because they use sweatshop labor? Do you ban all Nike stuff?

Like you said, it's a slippery slope. At some point the line is crossed from preserving the proper learning environment, to infringing on the students' freedoms. But exactly where that line is could be debated endlessly...

I'd say that the line was crossed when he walked into class and everyone was instantly talking and clamoring causing them not to concentrate on their teacher and studies. But that's just my opinion.

[More Cowbell]

I'd say that the line was crossed when he walked into class and everyone was instantly talking and clamoring causing them not to concentrate on their teacher and studies. But that's just my opinion.

In eastern Kentucky, you could elicit a much worse reaction by walking into the classroom wearing a shirt that says in big letters, "I love the Louisville Cardinals". Or maybe by wearing a shirt to class that promotes the major sports rival of that particular high school. These kinds of shirts would definitely get everyone talking and clamoring, much more than any kind of political statement. But while it may be disruptive, certainly you wouldn't ban such a shirt, would you?

Again, I'm not sure where the line is. No matter how you slice it, it's still a judgment call in the end.

[Tomcat68]

I think there is a big difference between a rival sports team and such a statement. Students would clamor about the sports for about 2 minutes and say "so and so this" or "so and so that" and it would be a laugh and be over while such a bold political statement brings up a wide variety of topics covering the entire election and candidates involved.

Overall I believe the biggest difference is the amount of time that would be wasted on the clothing. A couple of minutes is fine which is what I believe a sports shirt would cause. This style of political shirt could easily disrupt an entire class for 30+ minutes while bringing out much harsher reactions, rebuttals, and consequences.

[thecavemaster]

I think there is a big difference between a rival sports team and such a statement. Students would clamor about the sports for about 2 minutes and say "so and so this" or "so and so that" and it would be a laugh and be over while such a bold political statement brings up a wide variety of topics covering the entire election and candidates involved.

Overall I believe the biggest difference is the amount of time that would be wasted on the clothing. A couple of minutes is fine which is what I believe a sports shirt would cause. This style of political shirt could easily disrupt an entire class for 30+ minutes while bringing out much harsher reactions, rebuttals, and consequences.

I saw the father interviewed last night on CNN Headline News. His basic take was that the First Amendment trumped any local school board policy. His son admitted that his father told him to wear the shirt...but that he didn't mind. To me, it is somewhat offensive that a parent would "use" his or her child to make a political point. However, freedom of speech is SO vital in a free society. It's a hard call...I see both sides.

[Udon'tKnowMe]

Ban the shirt. However, the fact that it caused a few students to talk about current affairs almost makes me want it to not get banned. Students in grade/high school know very little about politcs in general. I bet half the kids in his class were saying things like "Who's Obama", and the other half didn't even care.

[Beetle01]

I find it intriguing to ban political t shirts.

I can understand those with sexual inuendos being banned. However, politics is something we should encourage our young ones to be involved in. Yeah maybe the dad did get the kid to wear the shirt, but atleast the kid is somehwta involved in politics, if we started kids being involved younger we wouldn't have completely ignorant people voting when they turn 18-25. That group, which I'm included in looks at everything in an unrealistic world view, mostly anyways, some don't, but most do.

[PhiSlamaJama#12]

Gaurantee if the shirt said something about McCain no one would of done anything, just like Cowbell said. If they did suspend someone over wearing a shirt putting McCain down, the media would of said it was the school in the wrong. But since it is against Osama oh I mean Obama, they say the parents and the child are in the wrong.

[DevilsWin]

Politics have no place in a school of learning unless its a political science class.

The shirt was worn to provoke someone.

Any parent that would allow their child to wear something such as this is dead wrong.

It only promotes hate and racism.

Same goes for if the shoe was on the other foot.

[Beetle01]

How does that shirt promote hate and racism? It had nothing to do with either.

[DevilsWin]

Just look at it!?! It looks like some skin head KKK anarchist shirt.

[thecavemaster]

I find it intriguing to ban political t shirts.

I can understand those with sexual inuendos being banned. However, politics is something we should encourage our young ones to be involved in. Yeah maybe the dad did get the kid to wear the shirt, but atleast the kid is somehwta involved in politics, if we started kids being involved younger we wouldn't have completely ignorant people voting when they turn 18-25. That group, which I'm included in looks at everything in an unrealistic world view, mostly anyways, some don't, but most do.

If a dad plays basketball, comes home, gives his jersey to his son for him to put on, I don't call that being involved in basketball. It may be a father wanting his son to share his love of basketball, but it is not participation in basketball.

[DevilsWin]

I find it intriguing to ban political t shirts.

I can understand those with sexual inuendos being banned. However, politics is something we should encourage our young ones to be involved in. Yeah maybe the dad did get the kid to wear the shirt, but atleast the kid is somehwta involved in politics, if we started kids being involved younger we wouldn't have completely ignorant people voting when they turn 18-25. That group, which I'm included in looks at everything in an unrealistic world view, mostly anyways, some don't, but most do.

IMO this t-shirt is proof positive that there are ignorant people voting.