6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

By Gina Harkins, Marine Corps Times Updated 18m ago

School administrators told a Mississippi sixth-grader whose grunt brother is deployed to Afghanistan to turn his shirt inside-out because they were offended by its depiction of an anatomically correct U.S. Marine Corps bulldog.

Jordan Griffith, 13, of Ellisville, Miss., received the shirt from his older brother, Lance Cpl. Timothy Swann Jr., a member of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. Swann gave it to his little brother while he was on leave before deploying.
"Jordan just idolizes Timothy," said their mother, Sandy Griffith. "Timothy gave him the shirt and told him, 'Always remember you're a leader, not a follower.'"

The front of the shirt shows the dog's head and body with the words "If you are not the lead dog." The back shows the dog's rear with the words "The view never changes."

Officials at South Jones Elementary objected to the realistic view of the dogs' genitals and asked the student to turn the shirt inside-out or have his parents bring him a new shirt.
The school's superintendent, Tommy Parker, said the decision had nothing to do with it being a Marine Corps shirt.

"We're very pro-military," Parker said. "We're one of the most conservative places in the United States."
But that may have played a part in upsetting some of the school's teachers, he said, adding "all the details are there" regarding the dog's anatomy. Teachers also didn't want to look at it all day or have younger students see it.

Sandy Griffith, who pulled her son from class instead of bringing him a new shirt, said the picture is no more offensive than the view one has while walking a dog.

"My father made a joke that the woman who told him to turn the shirt inside-out must have been in the Navy," she said.

The shirt's message about leadership is one that kids should think about, she said, especially when men and women are still fighting on behalf of the country.
After leaving the school, Griffith called "The Rush Limbaugh Show," a conservative syndicated radio program. The host seemed surprised to hear this incident had happened in Mississippi.

"Now your kid can't wear a T-shirt given to him by a member of the U.S. military that espouses a positive character trait, leadership?" Limbaugh asked on his show. "People are fed up. They're fed up with being told what they can't eat, and what they can and can't do in their own yards and in their own homes. It's just not America anymore."

Parker, the superintendent, was dismayed to read the show's transcript.
"It's almost absurd that anyone would accuse us here in Mississippi of being anti-military," he said. "We recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. This very school has sent cards and letters to our troops overseas."

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Here's a link to the same article, with a picture of the back of the shirt.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/05/marine-mississippi-school-sixth-grader-bulldog-t-shirt-inappropriate/

Oh no!!! A naked dog!!!! Hide your kids, hide your wife! Cover your eyes!!!!!

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

I'm torn on this one.

DH was a Marine with two deplyments, so we're very supportive of the military. We're the house with the Marine Corp flag out front and a sticker on the door and everything. So, I don't fault the kid for wearing a shirt in support of his brother who he idolizes. However, this is a judgment call and if the bulldog on the shirt showed a little too much then I personally would not have let him wear it to school.

Those shirts were made for the Marines and adults to wear so I've seen them really tow the line sometimes and can see how someone could be offended. Again, I think if the graphic on the shirt showed a little too much then the parents should've made that call and used proper judgment.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Okay I just saw the shirt and really, as a parent, I don't know if I'd let my young child go to school with it on. I say this BECAUSE I wouldn't want to deal with the possibility that it might offend people and he get in trouble for it and NOT because I don't support the military. People get offended very easily it seems today, so I wouldn't even want to risk putting my child in that position by sending them to school with the shirt on.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Before I saw the shirt, I thought it was ridiculous to make this an issue. A dog with huge balls is what i was imagining.

I didn't find this shirt offensive:


But to make it out to be a patriotic thing is ridiculous. It's a "what is appropriate for school" scenario.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

I really don't think it should be about patriotism at all but really about what is appropriate for school, but it is all of course mixed in together and people need to learn to separate that.

I'm all for a show of patriotism, but again, I think the parents should've really exercised some judgment on this one. We may not find it offensive, but others may and I can see that point of view.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Honestly "patriotic" is not the first word I'd use to describe this shirt. That being said, I don't think it's that offensive. And it's certainly not anatomically correct- trust me, my friend has an unaltered bulldog and those things are in your face. I don't think it was necessary to ask him to change the shirt, but that's based on the clothes I see public school kids in NY wearing. I have no idea what this school's policy or dress code is like.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Hey from Militarytown, USA here. no way that's appropriate for school. I've seen a similar shirt without the military tag and its just not right for a kid to wear it.

So if another kid walked into school with the same shirt minus US Marine Corp would they HAVE to allow it because they did for the marine brother?

I support the idea of supporting the Corps and the Troops but somethings shouldn't be worn at school.

And shame on them for saying "Must be Navy" I mean really. My sister is currently serving as a Sailor. My brother and father were both Sailors. No way to bring that stupid fight in. Besides which I have cousins who are Marines and that jab was just plain lame.


ETA: I just think the whole "Im a bad butt" in school is wrong. Bullying whether assumed or actual shouldn't be encouraged.

Message edited 5/23/2012 12:27:42 PM.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

slow news day?

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

i would imagine that shirt would lead to a disruption in classes, and it wouldn't be due to an outpouring of patriotism from the teens/pre-teens. i would imagine he had other shirts that support his brother in the military that he could have chosen to wear to school and he could have saved this one for a day off.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Dog balls is not a nice shirt for school.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

2.5 miles from main gate at camp lejeune.
i would not let my kid wear that shirt to school.

as a liberal, i am totally offended daily by bumper stickers.

I haven't seen a shirt like that around here...the Marines here aren't allowed to wear flip flops, let alone an offensive shirt.

Most wives are in Marine shirts, but nothing like that.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Before I saw the picture, I imagined much worse. I am a former teacher and I really don't think this shirt is so awful. I have a much bigger problem with kids wearing shirts with smart ass sayings and drug and alcohol logos or offensive language references than this shirt, but I know many schools do ban shirts like those.

Honestly, I think if none of the adults had made an issue out of this, it would have been no big deal at all. Having said all of that, I doubt I would allow my kid to wear it to school.

Message edited 5/24/2012 10:15:32 AM.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Are there really 6th graders in this country who have never seen a male dog walking away? C'mon, his balls aren't even that big.....just saying, LOL.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Before I saw the shirt i thought it was a cartoon with a dog with huge balls. I thought, I get it. Gross. Not in school.

But, after I saw the picture.. it's actually a photo of a dog.. no huge balls.

This is stupid. Let the kid wear the shirt.

Re: 6th-grader's Marine Corps shirt too much for school

Ridiculous

point is, the school thought the image was inappropriate for the kid to wear in school and asked him to remove it. It has absolutely nothing to do with being for or against the marines or any military branch. The two issues have nothing to do with each other!

personally.. i don't think the image is that bad. I was expecting much worse. But the school has the right to ask the kid to change it if they're concerned that it could cause disruption in the school.

I thought the parents went a bit too far by contacting Rush Limbaugh about it as well - i mean this is hardly an assault on anyone's freedom!