The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a high school sophomore and her Mother against the school superintendent charging that she violated the teen’s freedom of speech right by allowing her “I HEART Boobies” bracelet to be confiscated by the assistant principal.
The student, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, had worn the bracelet for months in support of breast cancer research and in honor of her mother before having it confiscated.
Ok, so I totally support breast cancer awareness and am all for cancer research but I am not so sure that “I Heart Boobies” is appropriate for teens to be wearing to school. I think the bracelets are very cute and if I was a teenager, I'd probably think they were cute and cool to wear but schools have dress codes for a reason. The rules are in place to help prevent children from wearing inappropriate clothing and exposing other children to sayings, thoughts and actions that may be above their maturity level or may be offensive to others.
I am not opposed to supporting breast cancer research but if we allow this girl to wear her bracelet to school, then we have to allow any teen boy who wants to wear a shirt that says “I Heart Boobies” to school, as well. Then where does it stop?
Can children wear bracelets that say “I HEART Tits”? Or perhaps, in support of testicular cancer research we allow kids to wear shirts and bracelets that are inscribed with the saying, “I HEART BALLS!” Or perhaps to bring awareness to STD’s, teens would start wearing bracelets that said, “Save the Vagina” or “Dicks need love too!” I don’t know about you but I am pretty sure there would be loads of teen boys that would think all of these would be hilarious to wear and would want to wear them, with no actual concern for the cause.
I completely understand that this young young wants to support her mother and promote breast cancer awareness but allowing her to wear her bracelet to school opens up an entirely different can of worms, where the line between appropriate and inappropriate get subtly blurred until we can’t recognize when we are stepping right over it in the name of a good cause.
What do you think about teens wearing “I HEART Boobies” bracelets to school?
Image via Keep A Breast
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Comments 45
I do agree that a lot of kids wear them just because but a lot more kids know someone in their life that has BC or have lost someone they love.
Where do I get my I LOVE BALLS bracelet for supporting testicular cancer research - or my I LOVE ASSES bracelet for anal cancer?
they arent allowed to wear them at my sons school either and he is in elementry.
My 16 year old son has worn his everyday in school this whole school year and no one has said anything to him about it. He has also seen me go down to DC for the past 7 years and do the 5k walk/run in support of breast cancer. To be honest, I don't know if he wears it in support or just for fun and I really don't care. My son doesn't drink, do drugs, skip school or get in trouble so if the worst thing he can do is wear a braclet that has the word "boobies" on it, then so be it.
That's North Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The wording is wrong the idea is good.