Students Harassed by School Administrators Encouraged to Call for Help
Washington, D.C. (28 April 2008) – April 29 is American Life League's sixth annual National Pro-life T-shirt Day. This year, Rock for Life kicks off the event in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with a concert featuring bands Failure to Excel and Slapdash. Donations at the concert will go to Susquehanna Valley Pregnancy Center.
"Music is a great way for young pro-lifers to spread the message that abortion kills a tiny preborn human person," said Erik Whittington, director for American Life League's youth outreach. "National Pro-life T-shirt Day provides an excellent opportunity for us to express that." The concert and pro-life rally will be held at Warehouse54, starting at 6:00 p.m. and is open to the public. For details about the event, contact Garrett Martin at 717-917-0088.
"In past years, pro-life students have been harassed and had their free-speech rights suppressed by school administrators on National Pro-life T-shirt Day," said Whittington. "Just this past week, 10 students in Ohio faced suspension for wearing pro-life T-shirts to school."
Kristen Norman and nine of her friends wore American Life League's "Abortion is Homicide" T-shirts to school and were told to either remove the shirts, turn them inside out or be suspended. The students are working with the St. Thomas More Law Center to decide upon a course of legal action.
"There is absolutely nothing illegal about wearing a pro-life T-shirt to any public school," said Whittington. "We have asked students who are participating in this year's event to contact American Life League immediately if they encounter any problems with school administrators."
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Michael Hichborn at 540.659.7900.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- WTOL 11: AWHS Students: We Were Punished for Wearing Pro-life Shirts (25 April 2008)
- World Net Daily: Pro-life Students Sue School Over Censorship (05 January 2007)
- LifeSite News: Pro-life T-shirt Day 2006 (24 April 2006)
- LifeSite News: Federal Judge Says School Can't Bar Student From Wearing a Pro-life Shirt (12 January 2006)
- The Christian Post: Pro-life Students Face Opposition in Schools (30 April 2005)
- World Net Daily: Pro-life Shirt Barred as "Obscene" (12 March 2004)
- US News Wire: Pro-life T-shirt Day a Huge Success Despite a Few Spoilsport Principals, Says Rock for Life (30 April 2003)
- World Net Daily: Another Student Penalized for Pro-life Shirt (03 February 2003)
- Amarillo Globe News: Teen Allowed to Wear Shirt (15 May 2002)
- Catholic World News: Ontario High School Student Suspended Over Pro-life Shirt (12 November 2001)