Alan says he understands how people could be sensitive given recent school shootings, but says his shirt isn’t violent.
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“I’m proud of him”.
Holmes wore the shirt out of the pride he has in his brother, who joined the Marines and ended up doing a tour in Iraq at age 19.
Alan wore a shirt with an image of the traditional soldier memorial – which includes a rifle, boots, and a helmet – to Dexter McCarty Middle School in Gresham, Oregon.
“I was just upset”. Holmes said he has several family members who were or now are in the military, and he likes showing his support by wearing the shirt.
However, in a school handbook given to the Holmes family there was no mention of restrictions on images of guns on clothing. The incident, which occurred on the fourth day of the fall semester, left nine people dead, as well as the shooter, and led to 10 being hospitalized. When Holmes refused, he said he was told he would be given an in-school suspension if he didn’t change. “I was nervous and kind of heartbroken because I feel like I should be able to support the troops who have died for us”, Alan explained.
Fox 12 reached out to the school, but they say they can’t comment on specific student issues, because of confidentiality.
The school dress code does bar students from wearing any clothes promoting alcohol, drugs, tobacco or violence. “I would’ve stood up for the same thing”.
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“Weapons on a shirt are not appropriate in a school setting”, Vadnais said in an email. But, he insists, the image is being misinterpreted by school officials. So why are cops afraid of them?
