School allows sanctuary city poster, but not border wall shirt?

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HILLSBORO, Ore. — A Liberty High School student filed a lawsuit against his school, contending his First Amendment rights were violated after an assistant principal made him cover up a political T-shirt he was wearing or face suspension.

The T-shirt says “Border Wall Construction Company” and featured President Trump’s quote, “The wall just got 10 feet taller.”

“The T-shirt was just a representation of my political beliefs,” Barnes said.

“This school is very Latino-populated,” said senior Mark Guzman. “[The shirt] offended a lot of people. In the hall, kids would ask me if I'd seen it.”

Barnes said his school tolerated other political views without issue. “I had a teacher who had a pro-sanctuary city poster in her room which was up all year,” Barnes said, “yet as I wear a pro-border wall shirt I get silenced and suspended for wearing that.”

Barnes said after two students and a teacher complained about his shirt, an assistant principal pulled him out of the classroom.

“She gave me the option to cover the shirt or get sent home,” recalled Barnes, who initially decided to cover his shirt with a jacket before changing his mind.

Barnes went home and the school treated his absence as a suspension for defiance. Last week Barnes filed a lawsuit against Liberty High school for nominal damages.