Dad claims son was harassed by staff for wearing 'Let's Go Brandon' shirt, sues school district
Share and Follow

A father has filed a lawsuit against an Ohio school district he claims “punished” his son for wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt to school.

The lawsuit, obtained by Fox News Digital, alleges a teacher and principal at Madison Middle School in Mansfield violated a student’s First Amendment right to free speech and 14th Amendment right to due process when he was punished for wearing the shirt to school several times.

The first incident happened in November, according to the lawsuit, when the boy wore the T-shirt beneath a flannel shirt in a hallway before class had started.

A teacher, identified as a registered Democrat in the complaint, allegedly made the boy button up the shirt to cover the message, telling him, “I know what that means.”

Madison middle school

Madison Middle School in Mansfield, Ohio (Google Maps)

In 2023, two students who were prohibited from wearing clothing with the same phrase to school filed a lawsuit against their Michigan school district.

The district and its employees were “censoring students who try to express support for former President Donald Trump or opposition to President Joe Biden,” according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which describes itself as “a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought,” represented the Tri County Middle School students who sued the school district for viewpoint discrimination after they were ordered to remove sweatshirts they wore to school that featured the phrase in February 2022.

In a similar situation to Conrad’s, an assistant principal and a teacher “ordered the boys to remove their sweatshirts” for allegedly violating a dress code while allowing other students to wear other political apparel like “gay-pride-themed hoodies,” according to FIRE.

Biden at the Rose Garden

President Joe Biden speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House Nov. 26, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“Criticism of the president is core political speech protected by the First Amendment,” FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick previously said. “Whether it’s a Biden sticker, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirt or Gay Pride T-shirt, schools can’t pick and choose which political beliefs students can express.”

FIRE said the incident involving the two students is part of a “pattern of political favoritism” by the school district that it is “wrongly relying on a policy that prohibits ‘profane’ clothing to censor this particular message.”

“When the school district relaxed the dress code for field day, a school administrator ordered a student to stop wearing a Trump flag as a cape but permitted other students to wear gay pride flags in the same manner,” the group said in a press release announcing the lawsuit.

“The slogan exists as a way to express an anti-Biden message without using profanity,” Fitzpatrick said. “A public school district cannot censor speech just because it might cause someone to think about a swear word.”

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis and Kyle Morris contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Late billionaire tax cheat Robert Brockman’s heirs agree to pay $750M to IRS in epic fraud case

Epic Tax Fraud Unveiled: Late Billionaire Robert Brockman’s Heirs Settle $750M with IRS

Robert Brockman, a billionaire and software mogul, orchestrated a colossal tax evasion…
Tense bodycam footage shows cop shove state trooper driving local rep

Dramatic Bodycam Video Captures Tension as Officer Confronts Trooper Escorting Local Representative

A tense exchange unfolded in Tennessee when a local police officer confronted…
Southern California hit by powerful holiday storm causing flash floods, mudslides

Intense Holiday Storm Triggers Flash Floods and Mudslides Across Southern California

A formidable winter storm unleashed its fury across California on Wednesday, delivering…
Decaying iconic movie landmark gets a new $50million lease of life

Iconic Movie Landmark Revitalized with $50 Million Restoration Plan

A historic New York City icon that featured in the film Men…
US military reveals the unlikely reason it started tracking Santa

US Military’s Whimsical Tradition: The Unlikely Origins of Tracking Santa Claus

Seventy years ago, a child’s phone call inadvertently laid the groundwork for…
FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Pediatricians Take Legal Action Against HHS Over Cuts to Children’s Health Funding

In a significant legal move, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has…
Israeli hostages freed, Iran hit, ceasefire held — 2025 shattered idea that US was exiting the Middle East

2025 Middle East Dynamics: Israeli Hostage Release, Iran Strikes, and Ceasefire Challenge US Exit Assumptions

For many years, Washington has signaled intentions to diminish its presence in…
Logan Paul causes stir as he gives financial advice live on-air

Logan Paul’s Controversial Financial Advice Sparks Debate During Live Broadcast

Logan Paul has stirred up a mix of opinions with his recent…