8th grade student suspended, arrested over gun t-shirt

[F.U.]

http://www.wowktv.com/story/22020264/8^th-grade-student-arrested-over-gun-t-shirt

When 8^th grade Jared Marcum got dressed for school this morning he says he had no idea that his pro-Second Amendment shirt would initiate what he calls a fight over his First Amendment rights.

"I never thought it would go this far because honestly I don't see a problem with this, there shouldn't be a problem with this," Jared said.

It was the image of a gun printed on Jared's t-shirt that sparked a dispute between a Logan Middle School teacher and Jared, that ended with Jared suspended, arrested and facing two charges, obstruction and disturbing the education process, on his otherwise spotless record.

Jared's father Allen Lardieri says he's angry he had to rush from work to pick his son up from jail over something he says was blown way out of proportion.

"I don't' see how anybody would have an issue with a hunting rifle and NRA put on a t-shirt, especially when policy doesn't forbid it," Lardieri said.

The Logan County School District's dress code policy prohibits clothing that displays profanity, violence, discriminatory messages and more but nowhere in the document does it say anything about gun images.

"He did not violate any school policy," Lardieri reiterates. "He did not become aggressive."

Now, Lardieri says he's ready to fight until the situation is made right.

"I will go to the ends of the earth, I will call people, I will write letters, I will do everything in the legal realm to make sure this does not happen again," Lardieri said.

Logan City Police did confirm that Jared had been arrested and charged today.

13 news tried contacting the Logan County School District but has not heard anything back.




Really, suspended and arrested for wearing a shirt with a hunting rifle on it? This is starting to be a bunch of shit.

[Duchess]

[F.U.]

Maybe it was because the NRA is on it, who knows?

[username]

That is a bunch of shit but for some reason it doesn't surprise me. I honestly don't know what would happen if my son went to school with a picture of a gun on his shirt. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't get suspended but they'd probably call me for a different shirt or have him wear his p.e. shirt.

Part of me wants to test it but I don't think my son would be willing to be the guinea pig.

[HairOfTheDog]

Based on the OP, it doesn't sound like this kid was intentionally trying to cause a shit storm or broke any rules. But, I'm curious to hear more about the "dispute" between Jared and the teacher.

Was he really arrested over a t-shirt or did things get crazy?

If the kid didn't get extremely belligerent, violent or threatening, an arrest is way over the top over any dress-code violation (or alleged violation).

Sometimes common sense gets overridden by hyper sensitivity after a tragedy is so politicized, in and outside of the school system. The media and politicians lead the charge in that respect, imo.

[F.U.]

My grandson got a good talking to at thanksgiving. He had a school project to turn the pic of a turkey, [you know the ones we all did by tracing our hand] into something that did not look like a turkey. Well my bright idea was to turn it into a camo turkey hunter. In the process we added a gun to the pic. Well the teacher about shit a brick. What a bunch of shit in my book!

[Duchess]

I grew up in a place where it was commonplace to see guns in the gun rack on the back window of a pickup truck, most homes had at least one gun case, my grandmother had her own hunting rifles and pistols. There is not one single instance of anyone being killed or held hostage or any of the bullshit we see today. Kids got suspended for smoking in the bathroom or turfing the school yard.

[ramseycat]

Ridiculous. Just tell the kid maybe he shouldn't wear that shirt again due to the controversy over guns these days. I would like to hear more about the argument between the kid and the teacher.

[blueberryhill]

When I first read this, I thought this is just another one of those nutty rules the schools seem to enforce these days. The boy is old enough to recognize the controversy with gun control. I think he is testing the system because he wants to challenge authority as it gives him right to act out (maybe he didn't like teacher). I don't care if he is a hunter,
etc. I think it is insensitive to wear that to school. Too many children have been killed in schools by guns and if I put myself in the shoes of one of those parents, I don't want a teenager wearing a t-shirt with a gun/NRA logo to school.
He can wear his t-shirt anywhere he wants except to the dang school.

[cladking]

This is symptomatic of why they won't get bullies out of the schools. The principal is the biggest bully in the school yard and understands and sympathizes with bullies. Of course he's bullied by the school board who are bullied by the FED (the ultimate bully).

Shit rolls downhill and the kids at the bottom of the heap sometimes break and give the shit back.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

I think they need to sue the dog shit out of the school system and the people involved to make an exaplle out of them. This is just fucking stupid.

[Maggot]

Maybe a shirt with Obama holding a gun would be acceptable.