An eighth grader who is suing Middleboro Public Schools for telling him he couldn’t wear a T-shirt that read “There are only two genders” appeared in a Boston courtroom on Thursday.
Liam Morrison wore the T-shirt saying “There are only two genders” to Nichols Middle School in March 2023, and the principal of the school, along with a school counselor, pulled Liam out of class and ordered him to remove his shirt, according to the boy and his attorneys.
“I was told to change shirts or I would not be able to return to class,” Liam told reporters on Thursday. “I politely declined. As a result, I left school and missed the rest of my classes that day.”
“This isn’t just about the shirt. It’s about free speech. All students have a constitutional right to express their free speech without fear of being punished by school officials,” Liam Morrison said.
Attorneys argued in the Court of Appeals. Lawyers for Morrison want an injunction so he can wear the shirt immediately, but attorneys for the public school district say it doesn’t support their educational mission of inclusivity.