(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Two students slapped a Michigan school district with a lawsuit after they were barred from wearing sweatshirts that featured the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” an expression used to criticize President Joe Biden.
The non-partisan Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which is representing the two students, alleged that the Michigan school district discriminated against the two young students.
“In Feb. 2022, two Tri County Middle School students wore sweatshirts to school with the phrase ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ a political slogan critical of President Biden with origins in a more profane chant,” the non-profit said Monday. “Even though the political slogan is widely used — multiple members of Congress used it during floor speeches — an assistant principal and a teacher ordered the boys to remove the sweatshirt.”
FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick argued that the pro-Biden order violated the student’s First Amendment rights to political speech, adding that the school is cherry-picking what speech to censor.
“Criticism of the president is core political speech protected by the First Amendment,” Fitzpatrick said. “Whether it’s a Biden sticker, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirt, or gay pride T-shirt, schools can’t pick and choose which political beliefs students can express.”
The school district reportedly allows students to wear pro-LGBT clothing. On a “relaxed” dress code day, a school official forced the student to stop wearing a Trump flag as a cape but allowed another student to wear a gay pride banner in the same manner.
The pro-free speech non-profit said the school district is relying on school ordinances that prohibit “profane” clothing.
“The slogan exists as a way to express an anti-Biden message without using profanity,” Fitzpatrick explained. “A public school district cannot censor speech just because it might cause someone to think about a swear word.”
Allegiant Airlines booted a man off a flight for wearing a face mask with the anti-Biden slogan on claims that the political message violated Federal Aviation Administration rules related to appropriate attire on airlines. Jared Schmeck went viral after he called into a White House live stream and wished President Joe and First Lady Jill a “Merry Christmas,” a message he followed with “Let’s go Brandon.” A seemingly unaware Biden responded, “Let’s go Brandon, I agree.”
The ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ chant went viral when an NBC Sports reporter interviewed NASCAR racer Brandon Brown, who had won a racing contest. The crowd behind the reporter and Brown loudly chanted “F— Joe Biden,” which the reporter misinterpreted the clearly anti-Joe Biden chant as “Let’s go Brandon.”
Read the full FIRE lawsuit here.
