'I DON'T CARE IF I OFFEND ANYBODY': CALIFORNIA STUDENT SAYS SCHOOL MAGA HAT BAN VIOLATES FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A California student has claimed that her First Amendment rights have been violated after her school district told her she couldn’t wear a “Make America Great Again” hat on campus.
Maddie Mueller—who attends Clovis North High School in Fresno—is part of a group known as the “Valley Patriots” which had asked its members to wear the MAGA hats on Wednesday, KSEE reported.
However, the Clovis Unified School District (CUSD) said they would not allow her to do so on campus. In response, she asked whether she could wear any hat with Trump on it featuring the school’s colors, but this request was also denied, with the district arguing that it violated the dress code.
"How does being a patriot and trying to show pride in your country, how is that inappropriate?” Mueller—who is challenging the school district’s decision—told KSEE.
"To my knowledge Trump is not a logo, it's a last name, it's just our president, you can't claim the president is a logo, sports team or affiliated with any gang."
While the district’s dress code doesn’t specifically prohibit items of clothing with political slogans, a CUSD spokesperson said that the hat may not be conducive to an effective learning environment.
"Bottom line for us, our dress code is really about allowing our kids to come to school, to feel safe at school, to be supported at school, and to be free of distractions so they can focus on learning,” the spokesperson, Kelly Avants, told KSEE.
Oliver Wanger, a former federal district judge, said that the hat had the potential to cause issues, and hence the school could justify its decision.
"Here we are closer to the shouting fire in a crowded theater,” he told KSEE. "If the hat is something that could invoke violence or invoke controversy, then for safety of the students, the school is in its legal right.”
Indeed, Mueller says she has received threatening messages on social media. However, Wanger also noted that the school district’s decision contravened Mueller’s First Amendment rights.
This is not the first time that Mueller—who dreams of becoming a congresswoman one day—has been reprimanded for her clothing. The student told KSEE that she had been pulled up on several occasions for wearing T-shirts with the slogan, “Build the Wall.”
"I don't care if I offend anybody, I'm just showing support for the president and what I believe,” Mueller said, adding that her mom is concerned she might be prevented from graduating if she continues to be outspoken about her views and wear political clothing. Despite this, Mueller said her mom still supports what she’s doing.
The Clovis Unified School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Photo: A Romney supporter listens to a speaker as he wears a 'Make America Great Again' hat at the Mitt Romney election party on June 26, 2018 in Orem, Utah. GEORGE FREY/GETTY IMAGES
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Sounds like she needs to pay closer attention to her studies as maga is a slogan and trump is a brand.
For all you know, she could be a straight A student! I'd be willing to get she could be...
From what I have read, she has a history of intentionally trying to disrupt.
That has nothing to do with her grades. Sounds like you are fishing...
I said nothing about grades. You did.
"Sounds like she needs to pay closer attention to her studies....".
Ring a bell? Your words, not mine.
Disagreeing with what she knows has nothing to do with grades.
She should have a friend wear a shirt with that famous Obama painting on it to see if they allow that. If they allow the Obama shirt then they are selectively going after her because of her political views.
Yeah whatever...
Please elaborate on how Obama left the COUNTRY in awful shape.....as opposed to what exactly?
So you wouldnt mind a child coming to school wearing a Louis Farrahkan hat? What about a hat with the ISIS symbol on it?
Let's start with the $20 Trillion debt and the war on cops
Syria, Libya, reentered Iraq, signed a disastrous SOFA agreement tying the US to a weak corrupt Afghanistan government after two surges that accomplished nothing, Ukraine, and Yemen. Not to forget extra judicial drone killings across the planet in countries we are not at war with- including two US citizens- setting a dangerous precedent for all future administrations to build on. Also, sending US money to Iran, which is a terrorist sponsor state.
On the domestic side Mr "I have a cell phone and pen" didn't work with Congress and instead ruled by EO; touching every Americans life on the PPACA, EPA, and immigration. Which resulted in countless lawsuits from States to block his power grab. Now that he is out of office left leaning states are filing lawsuits to keep those EO's in place; not realizing that if the courts rule that EO's are laws they just gutted Congressional power, and turned Trump and every future president into kings.
Left the US in better shape? Obama was Bush Jr on steroids.
Wow, comparing Trump to a known Anti-Semite (see below), and a terrorist organization (You shouldn't need proof).
TDS is truly a disease for the ages.
If the school wants to ban all attire that is political, sports, music, or anything with any type of message on it, that is one thing. Singling out MAGA, and pro Trump, attire while allowing left political attire that will offend conservatives is a violation of her first amendment rights.
"To my knowledge Trump is not a logo, it's a last name, it's just our president, you can't claim the president is a logo, sports team or affiliated with any gang."
BINGO !
Bet a "Rainbow" Hat would fly high in Fresno.
You'd think with a name like "Mueller" , she'd be given some leeway, and everyone would be told to "Back off" !
trump is a brand and they sell their name as such.
School policy is only hats of school colours.
Off sight !
There's a Difference !
"School policy is only hats of school colours."
"The Clovis Unified School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment."
Seems they need to "Ponder" before answering. It must not be so "Black and White", and we all know now....."Gray" is the best color these days !
Off sight? (Site?) How is there a difference. The trump family brands their name on many (failed) things. trump hotels are a brand.
So much for that "Only School Colors" allowed thing !
Can they wear a Denver "Bronco's" hat ?
She wants to bend the rules by using a school colour yet still have it say trump or maga.
If the name "Trump (President of the United States)" is truly a "Brand"….I guess the argument of the "emoluments Clause" goes out the window.
No such thing as "Bend".....unless we agree....."Gray" actually means something.
Where I come from.....Black and White RULES !
So the trump family does not licence their name to hotels?
Then the "emoluments Clause" goes out the window.....huh !
DBA works wonders in the business world !
It has been out the window since trump has been elected.
No, I'd say she just wants her 1st Ammendment rights upheld...
It was only loudly "condemned" since Trump took office.
Elected Officials become "Millionaires"...… before they weren't ?
Congress is a business.....not some "I gotta make things Right" thingy ! It's all about the bucks.
Ever wonder why the Clinton Foundation is ..… Low on the "Gas Gauge" now!
Trump came in with "BUCKS". He didn't NEED this job like the others do !
IMO she just wants to cause problems.
If the school has a dress code with hats it must be evenly applied across the board. Zero exceptions.
Not when you're referring to the president.
No, not hats in general. Just one hat in particular. So it is not even and across the board at all.
How do you know that? Has someone tried to wear a hat promoting a different controversial topic and, if so, were they allowed to wear it? What if someone wore a "Trump Sucks" hat?
Has any other hat been banned by that obviously liberal left leaning school district lately that has caused such hatred and strife other than the MAGA hats? I don't think so, and I think it would have been publicised...
And President Obama's "Yes We Can" was any different? No it was not. I saw plenty of t-shirts with that on it years back. Funny how no one says anything about that...
And nobody objected
If it caused a disruption in class, then I say the school has a right to decide.
Nope. Not a peep...
In my neck of the woods it did, but the school system allowed it under 1st ammendment. But the left will never admit to it.
I have admitted what I believe.
I admit that I would just tell my kid to not wear the shirt in school.
You are entitled to your beliefs, I am entitled to mine.
Of course you are.
I just have not heard them.
I have heard you say Liberals are hypocrites yet not where you stand on the issue.
From what I can gather you are saying is that the kids should be able to wear whatever they want.
Eh, maybe yes maybe no. Schools are a tad bit different when it comes to the first amendment. The courts have established on numerous occasions that students do not in fact have the right to say or wear whatever they want on school property. Hence why you can be suspended for swearing at a teacher for example.
I am actually not a fan of censoring. I think it should be up to the school itself what it would consider disruption.
It just seems some kids want to make more noise. Kind of set their own rules.
You say you are not a proponent if censorship, yet you agree with that school that she should not be allowed to wear a particular hat because you find it offensive. Sounds like you are promoting censorship after all.
I agree that the school should be able to decide.
If the school told me my kid could not wear a certain shirt or hat, I would tell my kid they couldn't wear it to school.
Put the hat on, on the way to school, put it in the locker or backpack until after school and then wear it home.
A school is not a complete free speech zone. Just like me going to work. If my boss doesn't want me wearing a hat or shirt, guess what, I cannot wear that hat or shirt.
You're NOT a fan of censoring? LOL
Not everything can be worn anywhere.
There is a time and place for most things. IMO a public school is not one of them.
Oh, we are well past that time. We abandoned that idea when we allowed an entire generation to wear jeans (both genders) at all times. We allowed everything.
I have seen people wear jeans to a funeral.
So have I....The boomers! A generation that never grew up. ( It was a big generation - I don't apply it to all of them). And what is it with women getting tattoos?
I have seen women with tattoos forever. One time I was waiting in line and a woman had a tat on her back. I asked her about it and she told me about her son and how it was a remembrance of him.
I told her that I was sorry and didn't mean to bring up hurtful memories.
She said that she was glad I asked. That is what it was for. For her to remember him and that I helped her, by keeping his memory alive and talking about him.
My Niece has about five of them that I don't really care for. Maybe one but she just has them randomly placed on her body.
Here in this COMMUNIST (God forbid the word) country, people wear them to weddings as well.
They look terrible on a woman. I once demanded that a girlfriend get rid of hers.
I've always thought of tattoos as being a low-class thing, but actually, your story about the woman and memories did make me realize there were exceptions. In fact, now that I think about it, I see nothing wrong with vets using a tasteful tattoo of the unit they served active duty in.
I don't think I have seen that yet. Then again, at my age, lately I have been to more funerals than weddings.
I don't have any and never really cared for them.
Some of them can be very tastefully done. The woman I told you all about, I don't remember what it actually was, I just remember asking her about it because it was a beautifully done tat. It was rather stunning where most can look blah.
I learned not to long ago that wristband tats or just a band around ones arm is for mourning.
Wow.
Here, weddings in barns are pretty common. Jeans are considered to be acceptable attire at those.
I still probably wouldn't.
As much as I hate it and never do it in everyday life, I was always taught to dress respectable during certain things.
Which for a guy can just be khakis and a button up shirt.
I wore a nice dress, and there were also men who wore khakis instead of jeans. Since both barn weddings I went to were in August, few men wore suits, and I can't blame them. I was sweating in a sleeveless dress. They'd have roasted.
But TBH, when the reception buffet is just out of reach of a friendly horse's muzzle, casual dress seems to fit.
The only time I have ever worn a full suit, I was an usher at a wedding.
I have worn a jacket and nice slacks.
I would have been tempted to feed the horses. : )
I'm pretty sure some of the kids did. He was a very polite horse, given the amount of fruit that was right in front of him.
Only the guests, though. The groom dresses properly for the occasion. The bride and groom here do either traditional dress (I did an article a while ago about that) or wedding in white and tuxes, western style.
Wow is right. I wonder if Vic demands his woman make him a sammich, too.
Any man who told me to do something would be shown the door
Clearly, you dislike men. Same as me
There isn't enough eyeroll in the world for such a stupid statement, but I'll try.
Well with that statement there I say this is a triggered snowflake case.
Ms. Maddie Mueller; "I don't care," pretty much covers this one.
I wonder if she's pro-arsenal too?
For me, this comes down to: If a student wore a hat with a controversial slogan that would cause issues on the other side, would that also be prohibited?
A t shirt that says "intelligent design is a hoax" "Noah's Ark is Gilgamesh, plagiarized" "Trump has lied over 6000 times since he's been in office" - are those allowed?
While I would agree with each of those statements, I don't think students wearing them on shirts or hats at school would be conducive to the learning environment. They would be a distraction. And I feel the same about this. She's trying to stir crap up. But it should be up to the school to decide. If they allow this, though ... they have to allow many other things, and there goes the neighborhood.
Good points.
we couldn't wear any hats at school, only from door to your locker and none after 8:45 .
What if your head is cold?
Boys couldn't in our high school, either.
Last year, my son got in trouble for wearing a hat in school - they had to come off when entering the building, and couldn't go back on until the kid was outside. He was heading to baseball practice, and had his hands full, so he put his hat on, because he forgot. He was at the inner doors when a teacher saw him, and wearing his hat the remaining 10 feet to the outer doors because he didn't have a hand free to take it off got him an in-school suspension.
Let her wear the hat on campus, but take it off in class. (matter of courtesy..)
Let this young lady also be warned that others are going to be well within their first amendment rights to comment on her hat and their thoughts about her in public.
Agreed. As long as she is not banned from even bringing it on campus, which seems to be what the school is trying to do.
That's a rational approach, but is likely to lead to a lot of disruption at the school. I suppose it would be a good lesson in civics, though.
Which is what I think they are trying to avoid.
From what I have read, she has a history of trying to stir up controversy.
I guess the idea of introducing "smokers" at grade 8 and up to settle things isn't going to be a viable option....?
It's not against dress code but it will trigger the easily offended and THEY will cause a problem.
As would an article of clothing which insulted Trump, or was pro-Hillary, by the easily offended on the other side.
The question is, should any disruptive clothing be permitted, knowing that it may interfere with the learning environment?
Look up. My point is above your head.
No, it's not above my head. You're just choosing to ignore what I meant due to your extreme partisanship.
Support for your President is disruptive? Only for the triggered snowflakes.
The sad part is this is not a isolated incident.
Remember all the offended from people wearing pro Obama gear? Me neither.
I've never understood those who feel a need to display their views on politics, religion, etc. on their clothing or cars in the first place.
Who would be stupid enough to vote for someone just because someone was wearing a shirt or hat, or had a bumper sticker? And why do you need perfect strangers to know what you think about those things?
I generally do not advertise anything with my clothes. I have never had many t shirts or hats with a logo, picture, or saying on them . Most of my baseball caps and t shirts are plain colors. I don't even like shirts that have company logos on them like Hillfiger or Izod. If someone wants me to advertise their clothing brand they can pay me.
Chinese youths wear just about any advertising T-shirts that are possible. So many wear Nike or Addidas or other advertising, and just about any English language slogan you can think of (even if they themselves don't understand what they say). One unforgettable experience I had was while riding on a bus on a seat that faced towards the aisle a girl got on and stood in front of me wearing a T-shirt that said "FUCK YOU, FUCK ME, FUCK EVERYBODY". When she saw my jaw drop to my chest, she crossed her arms to cover it, and moved on.
I guess you didn't want me to send you this T-shirt (that by the way I've never worn).
When I was a teenager the only clothes with anything written on them were concert t-shirts.
Or something that was air brushed while on vacation.
I remember those stores all over the boardwalk. The smell of the t shirt printing process ... and of Thrasher's French fries.
My parents bought t shirts at every bluegrass concert or festival they ever went to, I think. I've been giving some away and selling some ... Mom must have 400. I brought 20 or 30 over to her apartment but I don't feel like storing the rest in my basement forever, and she doesn't have room for them all.
Lately I buy wrist bands if they have them; I don't need any more t shirts (did I mention that I have 400 bluegrass t shirts, lol). I have wrist bands from Godsmack, In This Moment, Of Mice And Men, Metallica, A7X and a few others. Only T shirts I've recently bought are A7X and Halestorm. I still have my Led Zeppelin shirt from when I was 13 - if I hadn't worn it so much, it would apparently be worth about 500. Another thing I don't understand - you can get a brand new shirt with that same logo. Why would anyone spend 500 for a t shirt from a concert they weren't even at?
I forgot about those iron on decals. From what I remember they were still pretty innocuous.
That is quite a collection. 500 bucks? I should have saved some of mine. I wore them out and don't have any left.
Mine were all the old baseball style. 3/4 sleeves.
K - 12 students should no more be able to wear MAGA hats then they should be allowed to wear hats or t shirts promoting the latest rapper or even LeBron James or Tom Brady. All schools should have a dress code. Light colored collared shirts and dark pants for boys and girls, no "advertising" of any sort on school clothing.
I went to Catholic school and we had to wear a tie EVERY DAY. It instills discipline and school pride in the students.
No MAGA hats in school. It is borderline absurd.
I think it's ridiculous to make boys wear ties to school. What can you do on the playground if you're dressed up?
I think it's ridiculous to let kids wear tee shirts to school.
From the seeded article: " the district’s dress code doesn’t specifically prohibit items of clothing with political slogans"
Case closed.
The philosopher Plato had it right. He believed that two of the most important questions that a society needed to address were: (1) what will society teach its children and (2) who will do the teaching. That has been the problem for America.
Depends on which article one looks at.
Oh, is that all it is? But you seeded this one.
This article also says that they could not get an immediate response from the district.
Meaning they most likely printed the story without input from the district.
In the CBS article, they responded.
The code is the code, right?
Morse or binary?
If clothing with political slogans is not prohibited, why deny somebody with a Trump hat? You can see why a lot of people question that...Or can you?
I can see that if it is causing a disruption, understanding them not wanting them worn. No matter the political stripe.
What disruption did it cause?
She doesn't care what happens. From what I can gather, she has a history of trying to rile people up.
If this was about free speech then what if someone wanted to wear a nazi armband or an SS hat.
Would that be acceptable? Free speech and all.
Do you realize that you are equating a MAGA hat with Nazi symbols?
No I am not.
I am trying to see if there is any line that cannot be crossed, or should all be allowed.
Or, should the school have discretion.
In that case, look at it from the side of what is allowed to make some comfortable.
Does the school allow dreadlocks? I'm sure every school does.
Does it allow a hijab? I'm sure every school does.
Does it allow a "hope & change" shirt? I'm sure it does.
Why is it that anything Trump is disallowed?
Dreadlocks are a hair style. That is getting into personal appearance.
I actually wouldn't mind if a hijab was barred. Faces should not be covered.
If a hope and change shirt was causing problems I would not want the disruption.
I would say the same if a kid was wearing a 'trump is a jerk' shirt.
All of those things "could" cause kids to "not feel safe" - wasn't that the rationale for refusing the MAGA outfit? Let's face facts. The schools for the most part are in the hands of the far left and Conservatives allowed it to happen a long time ago. There were no problems with what she wore, no transgression, no riot and no reason to deny her wearing it. My hunch is if she was allowed to wear it, the novelty would soon wear off and she wouldn't be wearing it for very long.
Maybe so.
So an inconsistency just occurred to me.
A MAGA hat is a distraction that's disruptive to the learning process and responsible for any violence that erupts in relation to it.
But if hormonal teenage boys are distracted by girls in revealing clothing, they are creepy, bad guys who are 100% responsible and the girls should be allowed to wear whatever they want.
I routinely wear a navy blue hat that says U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman on it. I'm waiting for somebody to tell me they are offended by it because it offends anti military snowflakes....
I have a big problem with hats. If I wear my Blue Jays baseball cap I offend Phillies fans, and if I wear my tuque in America that I got when I climbed The Great Wall that says "The Great Wall" I'd probably get beaten up by liberals.
"How does being a patriot and trying to show pride in your country, how is that inappropriate?”
Then wear a flag, bitch. Calling a MAGA hat patriotic is like calling a swastika artwork. Yeah, some people might agree with you, but certainly not the majority of people.
This first Amendment argument is getting to be such bullshit. I went to a Jesuit high school, and had to wear a button down shirt and tie every day. I still had first Amendment rights, just not on my shirt and during school hours. Someone please slap some sense into this idiot.
'I DON'T CARE IF I OFFEND ANYBODY': CALIFORNIA STUDENT SAYS SCHOOL MAGA HAT BAN VIOLATES FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT
A two part comment I suppose as there is a bit of conflict in the statement from my point of view:
Since it would not appear that the School District bans all manner of headwear (hats in particular), I would have to agree with the second part of the statement. What I tend to question is IDGAF attitude towards the sensibilities of others in the first part of the statement.
I myself as a rule do not go out of my way to tweak and offend others, but then again I am an adult ( well sort of anyway).