Just A T-Shirt Or a Violation of the First Amendment Right? Liz Quinn

Liz Quinn (eq24)
Civil Case: It’s Just A T-Shirt

Susan Taylor, a junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood is suing the School District of Maplewood South Orange for violating her First Amendment right to free expression. The suit was filed in Newark, NJ federal court on June 26, 2000. On June 2, 2000, Taylor wore a t-shirt with the words “Proud to be an Atheist” emblazoned on it to school.
The school’s principal, Jan Gorlin, requested, then demanded that Taylor go to the girls’ locker room and change her shirt. Gorlin allegedly said “we all believe in God at this school – there’s no room for someone like you here.”
Taylor said: “I couldn’t believe he said that. I was just trying to express a different point of view.”
Taylor refused to change her shirt, was removed from the building by a security guard and later suspended for three weeks. Taylor is suing to overturn her suspension. She is also seeking $ 1 million in compensatory damages and $ 2.5 million in punitive damages from the School District. Citing Tinker v. Des Moines School District, Taylor claims that her shirt did not disrupt her classes and caused only a few comments from other students during the time she was in school on May 10.
In response to Taylor’s complaint, the District contends that school officials have a right to run the school, and to maintain order. Taylor’s attorney, Nicholas Sullivan, says the parties are trying to work out a settlement. However, the District insists that Taylor serve her entire suspension and that she never wears the t-shirt at issue to school again. Sullivan said he rejected the offer.