Appeals Court Upholds Ban in Edwards T-shirt case
Thursday, Aug 13, 2009 | Updated 1:30 PM CST
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A federal appeals court has upheld a Waxahachie Independent School District dress code that banned a student's T-shirt supporting John Edwards' presidential campaign.
A federal appeals court has upheld a Waxahachie Independent School District dress code that banned a student's T-shirt supporting John Edwards' presidential campaign.
School district officials barred 15-year-old sophomore Paul "Pete" Palmer from wearing the shirts to school in September 2007. He sued, alleging that school and district officials infringed on his free-speech rights.
A federal judge in Dallas denied Palmer a court order to allow him to wear shirts displaying political messages to school. In a 15-page opinion filed Thursday in New Orleans, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concurred.
The three-judge panel says the dress code is "content-neutral" and intended to avert distractions from education. Since dress outside school and message buttons are allowed, the judges ruled that civil rights aren't violated.
Copyright Associated Press
Posted Thursday, Aug 13, 2009 - 1:19 PM CST
