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Virginia School Backs Down: Allows Student To Wear Pro-Life Slogans on Clothing

MANASSAS, June 11, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Osbourn Park High School, a public school in Manassas, Virginia, backed down from its policy prohibiting students from wearing pro-life clothing after threat of a lawsuit by the Thomas More Law Center. On April 16, 2004, Heather Holbrook, a senior, was told by her assistant principal that she could no longer wear her sweatshirt to school. The sweatshirt displayed the message: "Abortion is Homicide. You will not silence my message. You will not mock my God. You will stop killing my generation. Rock for Life."

The assistant principal's reason for prohibiting the clothing kept on changing. First, the assistant principal claimed the shirt displayed a message the school did not want to promote. Later, when questioned by Heather's mother, the assistant principal claimed the shirt expressed a political message, the same as a Confederate flag. Finally in a letter to Heather's family, the assistant principal claimed Heather's pro-life message was "offensive."

The Holbrook family then contacted the Thomas More Law Center, which does not charge for its legal services. In a letter sent last week to school officials, the Law Center explained that Heather has a First Amendment right to express herself on campus, even on such controversial subjects as abortion, and requested immediate written assurance that Heather's First Amendment rights would be restored. School officials were warned that if they continued to silence Heather, the Holbrook family had the right to file a federal lawsuit to restore Heather's free speech rights.

Two days later, the school district provided written assurance that Heather would be permitted to wear her pro-life sweatshirt to school.

After hearing the news, Heather commented, "I am happy that I can once again express my pro-life views in school. God's message will not be silenced, and to God be the glory."

According to Edward L. White III, Associate Counsel with the Thomas More Law Center, "We handle these cases across the country at no charge because we believe in the pro-life messages advanced by these students, and we will not tolerate the silencing of those messages."

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