In a pivotal decision that highlights ongoing debates over free speech in educational settings, a federal appeals court sided with a Michigan school district regarding students wearing “Let’s Go Brandon” shirts. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the district did not infringe on students’ First Amendment rights when it required the removal of the shirts, which indirectly criticized then-President Joe Biden.
The shirts, received as Christmas gifts by two brothers, were deemed inappropriate for the school environment by Tri County Middle School in 2022. The court supported this decision, with judges John Nalbandian and Karen Nelson Moore stating, “In the schoolhouse, vulgarity trumps politics. And the protection for political speech doesn’t give a student carte blanche to use vulgarity at school — even when that vulgarity is cloaked in innuendo or euphemism.”
Originating from a misunderstood chant at a NASCAR event in 2021, the phrase “Let’s Go, Brandon” quickly became a coded expression among conservative critics of Biden. Despite its political undertones, the school maintained that it banned vulgar content rather than political messages. Evidence showed that apparel supporting former President Donald Trump, such as “Make America Great Again” gear, was permitted.
However, the court’s decision was not unanimous. Judge John Bush expressed dissent, arguing that the phrase was a political euphemism devoid of explicit vulgarity, stating, “The phrase at issue here is a euphemism for political criticism. It contains no sexual content, no graphic imagery, and no actual profanity. To the extent that it implies an offensive phrase, it does so obliquely — by design.”
To read more about the background of the phrase “Let’s Go, Brandon,” visit this article. More details on its origins at a NASCAR race can be found here.
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