Washington, D.C. (29 October 2008) – Six months after a pro-life Minnesota grade school student was silenced by school administration who forced him to turn his American Life League T-shirts inside out on Pro-Life T-shirt Day, a federal judge has upheld the student's Constitutional right to free speech.
"In celebration of this victory we are announcing a pro-life T-shirt design contest for our annual National Pro-Life T-shirt Day April 28, 2009," said Erik Whittington, director of Rock for Life, a project of American Life League. "This event is changing lives, and no amount of tyranny from oppressive, pro-abortion administrators will silence us."
In April 2008, a 6th grade student at Hutchinson Middle School in Hutchinson, Minn. answered ALL's T-shirt challenge and committed to wearing pro-life T-shirts every day for a month. He was then singled out for ridicule by his teachers and the school administrators, forced to turn the T-shirts inside out, and threatened with suspension.
The student, with the help of pro-life firm Thomas More Law Center, filed a suit in US District Court. Federal Judge Arthur Boylan on Oct. 22 issued an injunction ordering the school to allow the student to wear his pro-life T-shirt, pay the student nominal damages and pay $12,500 in attorney fees to Thomas More Law Center.
"Free speech has now been reinstated," Whittington said. "They cannot silence us, the pro-life message will spread and hearts and minds will be converted to the truth – that human life is sacred and abortion kills a baby."
This year, contest registrants log onto ALL's National T-shirt Day web site to upload design ideas. Winners receive free ALL and Rock for Life gear including T-shirts, hoodies, CDs and more.
The deadline for submissions is Nov. 18.
Fire up your school with National Pro-Life T-shirt Day. Log on now to enter the design that starts the pro-life revolution!
Rock for Life, a project of American Life League, is directed by Erik Whittington and works with hundreds of bands and thousands of pro-life youth who advocate for life using music to engage, educate and equip our culture. "You will not silence our message, you will not mock our God, you will stop killing our generation."
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 media inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- American Life League: National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day http://www.nationalprolifetshirtday.com/
- Catholic News Agency: Federal Judge Rules Sixth Grader can Wear Pro-Life T-Shirt to School (29 October 2008) http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14180
- The Bulletin: Student Allowed to Wear T-Shirts (29 October 2008) http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=20181003&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8
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