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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Aftab Ali

Gay student suspended for wearing 'disruptive' T-shirt

The student wears the t-shirt in question (WSPA OnYourSide via YouTube)

Ah, America; forever the land of the free and the home of the brave. Isn’t it?

Not according to one high school student who said she was asked to leave school premises for wearing a T-shirt that read ‘Nobody Knows I’m a Lesbian’ – despite the fact she had worn it before.

Speaking with WSPA news, openly gay senior Briana Popour said she was pulled out of class at Chesnee High School in South Carolina and was given the option to either change her ‘disruptive’ attire or go home.

She then claimed that when she made reference to the school handbook – which she said mentions nothing about a student displaying their sexual orientation – Briana said the school’s administrator told her: “Well, not everything is in the handbook.”

Watch WSPA’s original news report on the story:

WSPA reported how it contacted the staff member and school for comment, but failed to get a reply. However, the station added the district sent them an email with a link to Chesnee High’s dress code which says: “…clothing deemed distracting, revealing, overly suggestive or otherwise disruptive will not be permitted.” The district referred to the shirt as being “offensive and distracting.”

Briana’s mother, Barbara, said she confronted the administrator for suspending her daughter and said he “does not like people in his school wearing anything that says anything about lesbians, gays, or bisexuals.”

Overall, Briana said school is meant to teach students to be happy with who they, adding that other gay teens out there shouldn’t be afraid to express themselves. What’s your opinion?

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