The principal told Alan to change his shirt or face in-school suspension.
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“It means a lot to me because our family, we have a lot of people who were in the military”, middle schooler Alan Holmes said.
An Oregon eighth grader is speaking out after he says he was suspended from school for refusing to take off a T-shirt meant to pay tribute to fallen soldiers. 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.
Alan’s brother served time in Iraq and will never forget what all he’s done for his country. The shirt has the phrase “Standing for those who stood for us” in front of the image.
Alan spoke with KATU News about being suspended from school for wearing the patriotic t-shirt. The principal then told him to change his clothes or leave.
“I’m not changing into a Dexter shirt”. “It’s standing for the memorial for the soldiers, who have died for us and our freedom, and I 100 percent support them because they’re supporting us”. “I would have done the same thing”, said Alan’s father Charles. I would’ve said the same thing.
The problem, according to Gresham-Barlow School District officials, was that it had a gun on it. The district’s policy on dress code and personal hygiene prohibits clothing “with obscene, profane, alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug and/or violence related references”.
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The school told KPTV they couldn’t comment because of confidentiality issues but they stand by the decision as they believe weapons on a shirt are inappropriate.
