The Supreme Court tore up the First Amendment with an unprecedented refusal
In America, our rights are supposed to be sacrosanct. But some are willing to cross that line.
Now the Supreme Court tore up the First Amendment with an unprecedented refusal.
Supreme Court Rejects Student’s Free Speech Case
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a case involving Liam Morrison, a Massachusetts student banned from Nichols Middle School for wearing T-shirts criticizing the transgender movement.
The decision leaves intact a First Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from June 2024, which upheld the school’s actions.
Morrison, represented by his parents, Christopher and Susan Morrison, argued that the school violated his free speech rights by barring him from wearing shirts stating “There are only two genders” and later “There are [censored] genders.”
The school claimed the shirts made transgender students feel unsafe, a stance backed by a federal court that deemed the message demeaning. The Court’s refusal to take the case frustrates efforts to challenge school policies prioritizing certain sensitivities over free expression, raising concerns about the erosion of students’ rights to voice controversial opinions.
School’s Response and Legal Battle
In May 2023, Liam, then a seventh grader, was sent home after refusing to remove his “There are only two genders” T-shirt.
He later returned wearing the same shirt with “only two” covered by tape marked “censored,” but the school again demanded he remove it.
Court documents reveal the school justified its actions by arguing the shirts created an unsafe environment for classmates.
The First Circuit’s 2024 ruling sided with the school, affirming its authority to discipline Liam for refusing to comply.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case, signaling their belief that the issue warranted review.
The outcome leaves Morrison and his family, backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Massachusetts Family Institute, without recourse, highlighting a troubling trend of schools stifling speech under the guise of protecting feelings.
Liam’s Defense of His Message
In a 2023 Fox News Digital interview, Liam Morrison emphasized that his T-shirts were not aimed at attacking anyone, saying, “I’m just voicing my opinion about a statement that I believe to be true.”
He clarified that his message wasn’t targeting “l*sbian or g*y or transgender or anything like that,” but rather expressing a viewpoint he felt was unfairly labeled as hate speech. “And I feel like some people may think that I’m imposing hate speech, even though it’s not directed towards anyone,” he added.
Morrison’s case highlights tension between free speech and school policies that prioritize inclusivity, with critics arguing that such restrictions risk chilling honest discourse and punishing students for views that challenge prevailing ideologies.
