By THE ADVERTISER
Added: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:00 UTC

Thanks to the link Michael for the link.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23596713-5005962,00.html

Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

A US federal court has granted permission for a teenager to wear a t-shirt with the slogan "Be Happy, Not Gay" during a Christian day of action held in response to a gay rights protest.

A high school in Neuqua Valley, Illinois, had banned student Alexander Neuxoll from wearing the t-shirt in class for a Christian group's "Day of Truth'' opposing homosexuality.

The day, which has been marked annually for the past four years, is a response to a "Day of Silence'' that has taken place in schools and colleges across the United States since 1996 to call for more tolerance for gay people.

During the Day of Silence students are asked not to say anything all day. At Neuqua Valley school, participants will show their support by wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Be Who You Are''.

The school, while stressing its neutrality, barred Mr Neuxoll from wearing a t-shirt saying "Be Happy, Not Gay'' on the grounds that it was insulting.

But he said that was an affront to his freedom of expression and the federal appeals court agrees.

The judges said Mr Neuxoll's t-shirt slogan was only "tepidly negative'' and it was "highly speculative'' that wearing it would "poison the educational atmosphere'', so he should be allowed to wear it.

TAGGED: CHILDREN, HUMAN RIGHTS, LAW