A Massachusetts student is ‘expelled from school’ for wearing a shirt that reads ‘there are only two genders’

A Massachusetts high school student claims he was expelled from school for wearing a T-shirt that said there are only two genders.

Liam Morrison, 12, told the Middleborough School Council on April 13 how his father had to pick him up from the John T. Nichols Jr. the previous month. Middle School when he refused to take off his T-shirt that read “There are only two genders.”

He said school officials told him other students complained about feeling “unsafe” and “disrupting education.”

But by forcing him to take his shirt off, Morrison claimed the school district was undermining his right to free speech.

DailyMail.com has contacted Middleborough Public Schools for comment.

Speaking to the school board, Morrison said he was taken out of gym class on March 21 to meet with school officials, who told him people were complaining about his T-shirt and said they felt “unsafe.”

“They told me I wasn’t in trouble, but I definitely felt like I was,” Morrison said of the experience. “I was told to take my shirt off before I could return to class. When I kindly told them I didn’t want that, you called my dad.

“Fortunately, my father, who supported my decisions, came to pick me up.

“What did my shirt say?” he continued. “Five simple words: “There are only two genders.” Nothing harmful. Nothing threatening. Just a statement that I think is a fact.’

He added that he didn’t go to school that day to “hurt feelings or cause trouble.”

But school officials told him his shirt was “aimed at a protected class.”

“Who is this protected class?” Morrison asked. “Are their feelings more important than my rights.”

“I’m not complaining when I see Pride flags and diversity posters all over the school. Do you know why? Because others are entitled to their beliefs just like me,” he said.

Morrison also said he was told “the shirt was a disruption to learning,” but “no one got up and stormed out of the classroom.” No one burst into tears. I’m sure I would have noticed if they did.

“I experience disruptions in my learning every day,” he noted. ‘Kids showing off in class are a disturbance, but nothing is being done about it. Why do the rules apply to one and the other?’

Morrison said John T. Nichols Jr Middle School officials told him the shirt made other students feel “unsafe” and that it “interfered with learning.”

He said he wanted to draw the attention of the school board to the matter. The school committee is pictured here at its April 13 meeting

The preteen added that “not one person” told him directly that they were bothered by the words on his shirt, and in fact other students told him they supported the message.

But by kicking him out of class, Morrison said, he felt like the high school was telling him it wasn’t okay for him to have a dissent.

“I learned a lot from this experience,” he said. ‘I have learned that many other students share my opinion. I’ve learned that adults don’t always do the right thing or make the right decisions.

“I know I have a right to wear a shirt with those five words,” Morrison continued. “Even at the age of 12, I have my own political opinion and I have a right to express that opinion. Even at school. This right is called the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

“My hope by being here tonight is to draw the attention of the school board to this issue,” he said. “I hope you stand up for the rest of us so we can express ourselves without getting kicked out of class.

“Next time, maybe it’s not just me,” he concluded. “Perhaps more will decide to speak out soon.”