EPPING, N.H. (WSVN) — A New Hampshire teen said her school’s principal made her take off her President Trump apparel during the school’s patriotic day.
According to WFXT, high school freshman Ciretta Mackenzie said she was told by her school’s principal that her “Make America Great Again” shirt and hat violated the school’s dress code policy.
The teen had worn the hat and a shirt with the phrase to school to celebrate “America Pride Day.”
“It’s just a shirt, and it only says ‘Trump. Make America Great Again.’ It doesn’t say anything like ‘Build the wall,’ so I don’t get how anyone could get offended, how it’s disrespectful,” she said.
Ciretta said she took off the hat and borrowed a friend’s sweatshirt, but she feels like her First Amendment rights were violated since there isn’t anything regarding political clothing in the student dress code.
“If it said no political gear, I could understand why it was dress coded, but it didn’t say that, so I feel like I’m obligated to have my own opinion and other people can have theirs,” she said. “We don’t have to agree. That’s fine.”
The school superintendent told WFXT that two students were asked to change what they were wearing.
The superintendent also sent a letter to the school community reading in part: “The Epping School Board and Epping District’s position is that this event should not ever have taken place, and we are committed to the creation of a school environment that promotes open and free thought and dialogue.”
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