Supreme Court Backs U.S. School’s Ban on Student’s ‘There Are Only Two Genders’ T-Shirt, Sparking Nationwide Free Speech Debate

 

In a landmark decision that has ignited fierce debate across the country, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of a Massachusetts school district that barred a middle school student from wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan “There Are Only Two Genders.”

The court’s 5–4 ruling upholds the school’s decision, stating that the shirt disrupted the learning environment and violated the school’s anti-discrimination policy. The student, 13-year-old Liam Morrison, had worn the shirt to class last year as a form of protest after discussions around gender identity policies were introduced in school assemblies.

Liam was pulled from class and later sent home when he refused to change the shirt. His family filed suit, arguing that the ban violated his First Amendment rights and amounted to viewpoint discrimination.

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Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated that while students do not “shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate,” schools still have the authority to restrict speech that is likely to cause “substantial disruption or emotional harm to other students.”

“The phrase on the shirt was not merely a statement of opinion,” Roberts wrote. “In a diverse student body, such messages can cross into exclusionary or hostile territory, particularly when they target or marginalize peers.”

The decision was immediately hailed by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups as a victory for student safety and inclusion.

“Schools should be a place where every child feels safe and respected,” said Eliza Hunt, director of Students for Equality. “The Court affirmed that free speech cannot be used as a weapon against vulnerable youth.”

But critics of the ruling say it represents a dangerous erosion of free expression.

“This is a chilling decision,” said Matthew Dean, legal counsel for the Morrison family. “It tells students that expressing a widely held biological belief is now considered hate speech. If this kind of speech can be banned, where does it stop?”

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Conservative lawmakers were quick to condemn the ruling, with Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) calling it “an assault on common sense and parental rights.” He vowed to introduce federal legislation protecting student expression in public schools.

The case has drawn comparisons to earlier landmark rulings on student speech, including Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), in which the Court ruled that students could wear armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Legal analysts say this latest ruling marks a shift in how courts may balance free speech with anti-discrimination protections going forward.

For Liam Morrison and his family, the battle may not be over. In a statement, his parents said they are exploring “every legal and public avenue to ensure their son’s rights are restored.”

The ruling has already sparked student walkouts and protests in several states, signaling that this cultural and constitutional debate is far from settled.

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