Judge Rules to Keep ‘Boobies’ in Schools
Students in the Easton Area School District in Pennsylvania are allowed to wear "i (heart) boobies" bracelets, as a federal judge ruled that the accessories cannot be banned by school officials who deem them vulgar and inappropriate. The bracelets are from Keep A Breast, a non-profit group that advocates breast cancer awareness and research.
"The bracelets... can reasonably be viewed as speech designed to raise awareness of breast cancer and to reduce stigma associated with openly discussing breast health," said U.S. Judge Mary McLaughlin.
According to Alternative Press, two Easton girls were suspended for disregarding the ban and wearing the bracelets during their middle school's Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Officials contend that the message sends a sexual message to students and said two boys were motivated to touch the girls inappropriately.
"We find it very difficult to believe that the judge could not find that there was a sexual double-entendre in the message," said school district solicitor John Freund. "If the ruling stands, certainly the educator's job is going to be that much more difficult in deciding these issues with the court second-guessing them."
The American Civil Liberties Union stepped in and sued the school district to overturn the ban and keep the girls from being punished. McLaughlin issued a temporary injunction that prevents the district from enforcing the ban until the case goes to trial.
Keep A Breast founder Shaney Jo Darden was naturally happy about the decision, releasing the following statement:
"Today we made history. We are educating a demographic that other organizations have not been able to reach, and speaking to them about cancer and health in a way that is authentic and inspiring. We are thrilled about the court’s decision, and hope it continues to spark thought-provoking conversations about breast health in schools and throughout the country.”
How do you feel about the ruling? Are the bracelets just a way to get cheap publicity, or is the school district overreacting? Let us know below.
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