West Virginia teen arrested for wearing NRA shirt to school

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Most likely, we are not hearing the entire story. As you know, there are 3 sides to every story. The plaintiffs, the defendants and the truth! So, its not always so easy to pass judgement on decisions that were made when the facts come out to what actually happened. I have 32 years of experience in crazy things that happen in schools today! Its also important to note that when our founding fathers wrote the amendments to our constitution, it seems evident that they were meant to guard against the type of politicians that seem to be in greater and greater numbers today! :confused:
 
this issue involved defiance that resulted in a disruption.
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I am interested in how you drew this conclusion ? I have read nothing that states that the young man was "defiant" Merely that he would not remove a shirt that was, by all accounts, within dress code.
 
Btmj, I was taught the same thing about teachers. It got me assaulted by one teacher for no other reason than he was having a bad day. I hadn't even raised my voice. The bruises on my chest took weeks to fade. It got me emotionally tortured by another ( just so you don't think that this is an exaggeration, she admitted to another teacher she was attempting to "break" me so she could "remold" me.). Keep in mind, I wasn't any sort of discipline problem, and was an A-B student in mostly advanced classes.

My own experience taught me that sort of attitude is dangerous, I certainly wasn't going to put my children in the same vulnerable place. What I found when I started looking hard at my children's teachers that they were simply not in the same class as the great majority of the ones who taught me. They would have eaten this generation of teachers alive and whole.

The abusive and incompetent teachers I dealt with were isolated from their peers and held in great contempt by them. The people who rescued me from these jerks were the other teachers who voluntarily turned them in, then stood by me.

I found good teachers like this in my children's lives as well, but to my disappointment they were the hounded minority.

As for the teachers who now want the unquestioned authority that teachers used to have, I have one word for you, NO!

This authority they had allowed abuse to occur in the dark where no one would listen to the victim.

If you're concerned about the lack of respect in your classroom I have similarly harsh words for you, if you want respect, it's still readily available to you, the difference being now you have to earn it. Those good teachers I talked about that my kids had? They were all treated very respectfully by their students. I volunteered in those classrooms and saw first hand.

There was a complete lack of respect displayed here, by the teacher. To ask a student to change how he was dressed, when he was not out of compliance with the school dress code, and was in fact endorsing the Bill of Rights included in our Constitution (the phrase on the shirt was"protect your rights" with a symbol that clearly pointed to the second amendment.) was very clearly and completely disrespectful of the students rights. The gathered students then followed the teachers lead and learned the lesson he was teaching by his actions.
Treating others disrespectfully is okay as long as you feel strongly about what you're doing and you have the authority (or in the students case numbers) to get away with it was the lesson that teacher was teaching. The students then demonstrated they had learned this lesson to the teacher involved immediately.
A bad lesson taught, the same bad lesson learned, and in fact convincingly demonstrated. A black eye for our school system.
 
1st amendment rights have become increasingly restricted. They are arbitrary and capricious.
The same is true of discipline for students. Kids are being suspended or even arrested for things which would have just sent them to the principles office a couple decades ago.

This goes hand in hand with the general weakening of the 1st, 4th, and 5th amendments since the eighties.
 
The whole thing is silly and never should of went as far as it did but some school workers seem to think they can do whatever they want.
 
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All this started with he was wearing an NRA t-shirt ? Doesn't he have the right to wear that t-shirt under the 1st amendment of free speech ? I maybe off base but I don't think anyone had the right to demand he change his t-shirt. As for the charge of obstructing I thinks that a bunch of bull. They infringed on his constitutional rights and that started all this. Whats next we will be told what we can and can't wear as far as t-shirts, hats, pants etc. ? It seems to me this is a form of censorship and unconstitutional. Maybe I am wrong but that's the way I see it. Anti gunners flexing their muscle against a young kid, trying to make an example out of him.
 
All this started with he was wearing an NRA t-shirt ? Doesn't he have the right to wear that t-shirt under the 1st amendment of free speech ? I maybe off base but I don't think anyone had the right to demand he change his t-shirt. As for the charge of obstructing I thinks that a bunch of bull. They infringed on his constitutional rights and that started all this. Whats next we will be told what we can and can't wear as far as t-shirts, hats, pants etc. ? It seems to me this is a form of censorship and unconstitutional. Maybe I am wrong but that's the way I see it. Anti gunners flexing their muscle against a young kid, trying to make an example out of him.
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It's more than that. [I can't say what I think is really going on because I'd likely get banned for it] Next time someone says "for the children", remember Jared Markum as an example of what they *really* think about the children.
 
Al said:
It appears that the kid is going to be made an example. He faces a fine of $500 or up to 1 year in jail, according to the report. What we don't yet know, is if this is in Juvenile court (where Jared will not have a jury) or if he was charged as an adult.
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The charge is a misdemeanor. It appears that in West Virginia, it doesn't meet the standard for the court to decide that he should be tried as an adult, but he can demand to be tried as an adult, and then they're required to do so.

Interesting quandary for him and his attorney, I'd think.

WEST VIRGINIA CODE
§49-5-10. Waiver and transfer of jurisdiction.
 
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I've read all 6 pages of this thread and I've come to the conclusion this is a free speech issue. I wonder where the ACLU is? (rhetorical question, I know) They've defended students for much less. Had this kid been wearing a Che Guevera shirt and told to turn it inside out or wear another shirt, the ACLU would be all over this.
 
My understanding is that he was charged with Obstructing and Officer because the officer repeated the school's (unlawful) demand that the kid remove the tee shirt, and the kid did not do so. So the officer arrested him.

How is that "Obstruction"? If a cop pulls over a drunk at midnight and issues a command "Make yourself sober" and the driver (obviously) can't comply, is that "Obstruction"? The kid didn't resist arrest in any way, from what I can remember reading. He simply asserted his rights.

Is there a legal fund somewhere for this kid that I can contribute to?
 
^I agree and I'd contribute.
Although I wonder if the NRA plans to get involved - he was wearing their shirt after all.
Seems like a good opportunity for them to be viewed in a positive light by all because its not really about guns this time, its Free Speech and the unjustified persecution of a kid.
 
Misuse of authority is what this is,,,

...and I've come to the conclusion this is a free speech issue.
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I somewhat agree (I've read all the pages as well),,,
But I believe it's more of an example of law enforcement over-each.

The officer was simply angered by the fact,,,
That the kid didn't immediately comply with his order.

This is like when a cop threatens you with an "obstructing justice" charge,,,
When you are standing on the sidelines recording an encounter.

Shame on him and the entire school board.

This is nothing more than a trumped up charge,,,
For defying their perceived authority.

I believe the proper term is,,,
Abuse under color of authority.

Again, shame on them.

Aarond

.
 
I have seen kids arrested at school for stupid reasons, not all of them gun or 'terrorist' in nature. I worked in juvenile detention and found that most of the kids arrested were disliked by the administration or the campus police and were just being arrested to get rid of them. Bullying and some other real problems are left untouched if the kid is popular. I would love to do something about it, but what? There is no way I would send my kids to that mess, I home school. I avoid these problems and the brainwashing the government is doing in schools.
 
Definitely overreaching by the police officer. At the very worst, he should face school discipline, not arrested for wearing a t-shirt.

I am most definitely not an authority on the First Amendment, but my understanding is that the right may be restricted in school if done in a content neutral manner. For example, a school could ban all t-shirts with a political message but not just messages with which they disagree. I don't think we know enough about school policy to make a call on whether the student was in violation of a lawful policy. I'll repeat, though, that the officer was definitely overreaching.
 
After a very brief email exchange with the reporter at WTRF, Ms. Greene has responded that Jared was charged in Juvenile Court.

Consider what we know.

  • Jared Marcum was wearing a t-shirt that was not against the dress code at the time he was ordered to take it off or turn it inside out.
  • The order was issued in a public setting, namely, the school cafeteria at lunch time, in full view of the assembled students.
  • The order was unlawful inasmuch as the t-shirt being worn was not in violation of any school rules.
  • Jared, apparently knowing the dress code better than the teacher, told the teacher that he would not disrobe and/or turn the shirt.
  • The teacher, feeling disrespected, hauls Jared into the office.
  • The principle, attempting to save face for the erroneous teacher demanded that Jared follow the order.
  • Being told no, the principle called in the police.
  • The responding officer, wanting to affirm the authority of the school, arrested Jared on a variety of charges.
  • On the following Monday, 50+ kids (including Jared) show up at school wearing the same t-shirt and nothing happens to them.
  • The D.A., apparently bowing to the same politics of authority, charges the young man, with the only charge he feels he can win.

Barring something else, that we haven't heard about, this was abuse of authority, from start to finish.

There is also a message to be taken away from this fiasco: Do what you are told, even if it is wrong.
 
You left out one important piece unless I missed something: The judge didn't throw out the charges at the preliminary hearing. As Homer Simpson said (I think, quoting Jack Nicholson), "The whole freakin' system is out of order!"

IMHO, the principal needs to be fired and the prosecutor AND the judge need to be disbarred.
 
I'm old and tired of all this PC non-sense.


Fire the teacher and Principal.

Fire the cop and Chief.

Remove the Prosecutor.

Remove the Judge.


Then ... SUE THE PANTS off EVERYBODY INVOLVED for SERIOUS MONEY ... I mean MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

I'm only upset that there isn't a way to put the "authorities" in prison for "over-reaching and being really stupid". I know that's not a crime, but it's getting to the point where it should be. They should also be stripped of their pensions too!

By the way, I ate my grilled cheese into the shape of a derringer last Sunday night. Anybody got a problem with that?
 

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I just received this email, Jared is getting help

logo Gun Owners Foundation
Taking on Zero Tolerance in Schools
supporting Jared Marcum against overzealous prosecutor

Gun Owners Foundation has come to the defense of a West Virginia teenager who is actually being prosecuted (a.k.a., persecuted) for his pro-gun views.

Jared Marcum wore a T-shirt to his Logan County middle school in West Virginia on April 18 -- a decision that has since sparked a national controversy.

No, Jared’s T-shirt did not depict a Muslim beheading a victim while shouting Alahu Akhbar! Such depictions of violence would violate the school’s dress code.

Jared’s T-shirt depicted a hunting rifle with the message: “Protect Your Right.” And now, he faces up to a year in jail for doing so!

The outrageousness of this case has prompted the involvement of Gun Owners Foundation, which has agreed to help Jared pro bono.

People can help Gun Owners Foundation assist Jared Marcum by going to our foundation’s site and giving a contribution.

It all began on April 18. Everything was fine for the morning classes, but then the day went goofy when an anti-gun teacher confronted Jared in the lunch line and told him to turn his shirt inside out.

Jared pointed out that his shirt did not violate school policy.

The teacher sent Jared to the office where the same back and forth was repeated with the administration. Then a police officer was summoned who ordered Jared to turn his shirt inside out. Jared told the officer and the administration that he was doing nothing wrong.

According to the officer, Jared’s shirt constituted a terrorist threat. He did not put that in his written report, but instead charged Jared with obstructing an officer (apparently Jared interrupted the officer while he was talking to the administration).

Jared was cuffed, charged and told that he could be fined up to $500 and spend up to a year in jail. The prosecutor decided to press the charge, and a judge allowed the prosecution to proceed.

In a town of less than 2,000, what are the odds that at least five adults are this insane? And all on the same day?

Zero Tolerance can be better understood as Zero Judgment.

Jared was suspended for a day. When he returned to school, around 100 students wore similar shirts, and Jared wore the same shirt that fried the brains of five grownups two days earlier. Nothing happened. None of the students heard a word about their T-shirts.

Jared and his stepfather, Allen Ladieri, are to be commended for not backing down, and Gun Owners Foundation is actively supporting the case.

Usually, Gun Owners Foundation supports individuals appealing convictions on firearms charges that involve constitutional issues. But we think that Jared’s case warrants special attention, as it involves both First and Second Amendment freedoms.

If we are not allowed to make pro-Second Amendment statements -- all because somebody is offended -- then we can count the days to when we’ll lose the freedoms enshrined in both Amendments.

If Jared prevails in this case, we may have finally reached a turning point regarding Zero Tolerance, which is one of the most insidious policies being inflicted on the nation’s young people.

ACTION: While GOF is helping defend Jared Marcum pro bono, there are obviously significant costs involved. So please help by making a tax-deductible contribution to Gun Owners Foundation. You can assist in the Jared Marcum defense by giving a contribution to GOF here.

To read more about Gun Owners Foundation, click here.
 
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