T-shirt Causes Question of First Amendment Rights

By: Sara Bechtold

NEWARK, NJ- A high school student sued the School district of Maplewood/South Orange for $3.5 million for violating her First Amendment right to free expression.

On June 2, 2000, Susan Taylor, a junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, was allegedly removed from the school building by force of a security guard and suspended for three weeks because she wore the words “Proud to be an Atheist” on her t-shirt.

The t-shirt first became an issue when Taylor’s history teacher, David Kasper, sent her to the principal’s office. Taylor claims that, before Kasper, her shirt had gotten little attention and had not disrupted any of her classes. The school’s principal, Jan Gorlin, allegedly told Taylor that there was no room for her at the school because everyone there believes in God.

“I couldn’t believe he said that,” Taylor said, “I was just trying to express a different point of view.”

Gorlin later responded to the statement. “I never said that to Susan. I’ve been an educator for nearly 30 years. I would never hurt a student like that,” he said.

The School District insists that Taylor serves her entire suspension; it contends that school officials have a right to run the school and maintain order. Still, Taylor’s attorney, Nicholas Sullivan, claims the parties are trying to work out a settlement.