An Oregon teenager is suing his high school for violating his First Amendment rights after he claims he was suspended over a T-shirt that advocated for a border wall.
Addison Barnes showed up to Liberty High School on the day of a scheduled discussion on immigration wearing a shirt that read “Donald J. Trump Border Wall Construction Co … The wall just got 10 feet taller.”
The last line is a quote President Trump jokingly frequently used during his 2016 campaign while touting his plan for a new wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Barnes filed a complaint in Oregon District Court on May 18 that stated he was called out of class after showing up in the graphic tee. He was allowed to return to class after covering the shirt, but later uncovered it.
The lawsuit says one teacher and one student were offended by his uncovering and called in a security guard to escort the student out of class. Barnes was sent home later that day. School records stated he was suspended for one day, according to an Associated Press report.
Barnes is being represented by more than one attorney, including Oregon House Minority Leader Mike McLane.
The school’s student handbook states “only appropriate sayings or pictures are acceptable” on students’ clothes.
McLane’s legislative office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
