The complete record

16 incidents matching your filters.

March 2023

Mar 21, 2023Middleborough, MA

Middle schooler told to remove 'There Are Only Two Genders' shirt

Liam Morrison, a seventh grader at John T. Nichols Middle School in Middleborough, Massachusetts, was told in March 2023 to remove a T-shirt reading 'There Are Only Two Genders.' Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, he sued; the First Circuit ruled against him in 2024 and the Supreme Court declined review in 2025.

School Discipline#Political Speech#T-Shirt

April 2018

Verified

Apr 10, 2018Memphis, TN

Teacher told 10-year-old her religious project on Jesus was not allowed

Erin Shead, a fifth grader at Lucy Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee, was told by her teacher in 2018 that her 'idol' assignment about Jesus Christ and her accompanying poster were not permitted at school. After local news coverage and a district review, officials reversed course and apologized.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Class Assignment

May 2017

Verified

May 27, 2017Mahanoy City, PA

Cheerleader suspended for off-campus Snapchat post

Brandi Levy, a Mahanoy Area High School student in Pennsylvania, was suspended from the junior-varsity cheerleading squad after posting a profane Snapchat on a weekend off campus expressing frustration about not making varsity. The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 in 2021 that the school violated her First Amendment rights.

School Discipline#Online Speech#Social Media

October 2015

Verified

Oct 23, 2015Bremerton, WA

Football coach placed on leave for postgame midfield prayer

Joseph Kennedy, an assistant football coach at Bremerton High School in Washington, was placed on administrative leave in 2015 after refusing to stop offering a brief personal prayer at midfield following games. The district said the practice risked an Establishment Clause violation; Kennedy argued it was protected private religious expression. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in his favor in 2022.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Prayer

October 2014

Verified

Oct 1, 2014La Plata, MD

Student disciplined after refusing world-religions assignment on Islam

Caleigh Wood, an 11th grader at La Plata High School in Charles County, Maryland, received a failing grade in 2014 after refusing on religious grounds to complete a world-history assignment on the Five Pillars of Islam and the shahada. She sued in 2016; the Fourth Circuit ruled against her in 2019 and the Supreme Court declined review.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#World Religions

June 2014

Verified

Jun 6, 2014Brawley, CA

Valedictorian's references to God removed from graduation speech

Brooks Hamby, valedictorian at Brawley Union High School in California, had three drafts of his 2014 graduation speech rejected by administrators who struck religious references. He delivered remarks that included thanks to God anyway; the Pacific Justice Institute sent a demand letter, and the district later acknowledged the restrictions exceeded what the law required.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Graduation Speech

June 2013

Verified

Jun 1, 2013Liberty, SC

Valedictorian tore up approved speech to recite the Lord's Prayer

Roy Costner IV, valedictorian at Liberty High School in Pickens County, South Carolina, ripped up his pre-approved graduation speech in June 2013 and recited the Lord's Prayer instead, after the district had recently ended formal prayer at board meetings under threat of suit. The district said it would not punish him.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Prayer

June 2011

Verified

Jun 1, 2011Castroville, TX

Federal judge initially barred graduation prayer at Medina Valley HS

A federal district judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction in May 2011 barring student-led prayer at Medina Valley High School's graduation after a non-Christian family sued. The Fifth Circuit dissolved the injunction days later, allowing valedictorian Angela Hildenbrand to give her religious address; the case ultimately settled.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Prayer

April 2007

Verified

Apr 24, 2007Burlington, CT

Student barred from class office for off-campus blog post

Avery Doninger, a junior at Lewis S. Mills High School in Burlington, Connecticut, was barred in 2007 from running for senior class secretary after writing a home-computer blog post calling administrators 'douchebags' over the rescheduling of a school event. The Second Circuit upheld the school's action.

School Discipline#Online Speech#Blog

May 2006

Verified

May 27, 2006Monument, CO

Valedictorian had diploma withheld after mentioning Jesus in speech

Erica Corder, one of fifteen co-valedictorians at Lewis-Palmer High School in Monument, Colorado, had her diploma temporarily withheld in 2006 after she departed from her approved graduation remarks to share her Christian faith and reference Jesus Christ. The district released the diploma after she sent a clarifying email; she later sued, and the case was dismissed by the Tenth Circuit.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Graduation Speech

December 2005

Verified

Dec 10, 2005Hermitage, PA

Student suspended for off-campus MySpace parody of principal

Justin Layshock, a senior at Hickory High School in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, was suspended in 2005 and placed in an alternative-education program after creating a fake MySpace profile of his principal from his grandmother's computer. The Third Circuit ruled in 2011 that the school violated his First Amendment rights.

School Discipline#Online Speech#Social Media

Verified

Dec 1, 2005Inwood, WV

Student suspended for off-campus MySpace page mocking classmate

Kara Kowalski, a senior at Musselman High School in Berkeley County, West Virginia, was suspended for five days in 2005 after creating a MySpace group from her home computer ridiculing a classmate. The Fourth Circuit upheld the discipline in 2011, finding the speech created a foreseeable substantial disruption.

School Discipline#Online Speech#Social Media

April 2004

Verified

Apr 22, 2004Poway, CA

Student told to remove T-shirt opposing homosexuality on religious grounds

Tyler Harper, a sophomore at Poway High School in California, was sent to the office in April 2004 after wearing a T-shirt reading 'Homosexuality is Shameful' on the day after the school's 'Day of Silence.' The Ninth Circuit upheld the school's action; the Supreme Court later vacated the ruling as moot after Harper graduated.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Political Speech

February 2003

Verified

Feb 17, 2003Dearborn, MI

Student suspended for wearing anti-Bush T-shirt to high school

Bretton Barber, a junior at Dearborn High School in Michigan, was sent home in February 2003 after wearing a T-shirt depicting President George W. Bush as an 'International Terrorist.' Represented by the ACLU, he won a federal court ruling in October 2003 that the school violated his First Amendment rights.

School Discipline#Political Speech#T-Shirt

January 2002

Verified

Jan 24, 2002Juneau, AK

Student suspended for 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' banner at school event

Joseph Frederick, an 18-year-old senior at Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska, was suspended in 2002 after unfurling a 14-foot banner reading 'BONG HiTS 4 JESUS' across the street from school during the Olympic Torch Relay. The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in 2007 that school officials could restrict speech reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use.

School Discipline#Student Speech#Banner

June 2000

Verified

Jun 19, 2000Santa Fe, TX

Supreme Court struck down student-led prayer at school football games

In Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000), the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that the Texas district's policy of student-led, student-initiated prayer over the public-address system before football games violated the Establishment Clause. The plaintiffs included Catholic and Mormon students who sued anonymously after being subjected to overtly sectarian prayers.

School Discipline#Religious Expression#Prayer