For one West Virginia eighth grader, expressing his Second Amendment rights last week meant the muffling of his First Amendment rights.
Jared Marcum, a student at Logan Middle School, was arrested and suspended for wearing a National Rifle Association t-shirt to class.
Marcum’s shirt led to a disagreement between the eighth grader and a teacher, and Marcum was eventually suspended and arrested. He’s facing charges of obstruction and disturbing the education process.
“I never thought it would go this far because honestly I don’t see a problem with this,” he told the local CBS affiliate. “There shouldn’t be a problem with this.”
The boy’s father, Allen Lardieri, says his son did not violate the school’s dress code and was not combative when confronted about the clothing.
The shirt, which features an image of a gun and the words “Protect Your Right,” would seemingly be allowed under his school’s dress code:
Lardieri says he will fight to clear his son and make the situation right.
“I will go to the ends of the earth,” he said. “I will call people, I will write letters, I will do everything in the legal realm to make sure this does not happen again.”
Marcum’s fellow students also stood up for his rights, with some wearing gun t-shirts to school on the first day of the boy’s suspension. At least one student was reportedly told by an educator to change their clothing.
The school district and Logan Middle School have not commented publicly on the matter.
