by Gina Cassini | Top Right News
New York’s extreme, unconstitutional actions against gun owners have emboldened gun-grabbers across the state — even in the classroom. A high school student in upstate New York was suspended for wearing an NRA T-shirt that touted the 2nd Amendment after he refused to turn it inside out or cover the words with duct tape.
Shane Kinney, a 16-year-old sophomore from Grand Island, located between Niagara Falls and Buffalo, said he served a one-day, in-school suspension Monday after he refused last Friday to turn his T-shirt inside out at the request of the vice principal at Grand Island High School. The shirt was emblazoned with the NRA logo and the words, “2nd Amendment Shall not be Infringed” across the back.
“Mr. Lauria [the vice principal] told me I had to either turn the shirt inside out or put duct tape over the words,” Shane Kinney told FoxNews.com. “I told them that I wasn’t going to do it. I had to sit in the suspension room and eat lunch alone until my father brought me a new shirt to school.”
In a copy of the letter sent to the Kinney home that was provided to FoxNews.com, Grand Island High School Vice Principal Michael Lauria stated:
“On Friday March 7th, 2014 prior to the start of school, Shane was seen wearing a sweatshirt with the logo of a firearm. Shane was asked to remove the shirt and turn it inside out, or place tape over the logo. Shane was also previously asked not to wear the shirt to school.
“Shane did not listen to the administrator and was later seen wearing a T-shirt with rifles displayed on the back,” the statement continues. “Shane’s actions are insubordinate and in violation of the GICSD Code of Conduct.”
On Thursday, Schools Superintendent Teresa Lawrence released a statement denying that Shane was disciplined “for wearing a shirt expressing a position on the NRA or gun control.” Although she did not elaborate, she said the incident presented an opportunity to review policy.
“The Grand Island School District recognizes this matter as an opportunity to review its policies, procedures and actions to ensure that they are consistent with our commitment to provide a safe learning environment and protect students’ Constitutional rights,” Lawrence said.
Kinney’s father maintains that there is actually nothing in the student code that bans clothing with the imagery of guns.
While Kinney took his punishment like a good student, he says he’s still not happy with how everything went down.
“I don’t agree with it,” he said. “The NRA does great things and there was nothing wrong with that shirt.
Kinney, who is an avid hunter with a part-time job at the local gun club, says that he believes that he was asked to remove the shirt more for political beliefs than for inappropriateness.
“I’ve worn other shirts before with guns on them,” he said. “I was never asked to cover up. I think this happened because it was an NRA shirt.”
“That’s what I’m leaning towards.”
New York’s extreme, unconstitutional actions against gun owners have emboldened gun-grabbers across the state — even in the classroom. A high school student in upstate New York was suspended for wearing an NRA T-shirt that touted the 2nd Amendment after he refused to turn it inside out or cover the words with duct tape.
Shane Kinney, a 16-year-old sophomore from Grand Island, located between Niagara Falls and Buffalo, said he served a one-day, in-school suspension Monday after he refused last Friday to turn his T-shirt inside out at the request of the vice principal at Grand Island High School. The shirt was emblazoned with the NRA logo and the words, “2nd Amendment Shall not be Infringed” across the back.
“Mr. Lauria [the vice principal] told me I had to either turn the shirt inside out or put duct tape over the words,” Shane Kinney told FoxNews.com. “I told them that I wasn’t going to do it. I had to sit in the suspension room and eat lunch alone until my father brought me a new shirt to school.”
“There was pretty much nothing in the policy about guns.”Officials at the school cited the dress code which prohibits any clothing that might incite or encourage “violent activities.”
– Shane’s father Wayne Kinney
In a copy of the letter sent to the Kinney home that was provided to FoxNews.com, Grand Island High School Vice Principal Michael Lauria stated:
“On Friday March 7th, 2014 prior to the start of school, Shane was seen wearing a sweatshirt with the logo of a firearm. Shane was asked to remove the shirt and turn it inside out, or place tape over the logo. Shane was also previously asked not to wear the shirt to school.
“Shane did not listen to the administrator and was later seen wearing a T-shirt with rifles displayed on the back,” the statement continues. “Shane’s actions are insubordinate and in violation of the GICSD Code of Conduct.”
On Thursday, Schools Superintendent Teresa Lawrence released a statement denying that Shane was disciplined “for wearing a shirt expressing a position on the NRA or gun control.” Although she did not elaborate, she said the incident presented an opportunity to review policy.
“The Grand Island School District recognizes this matter as an opportunity to review its policies, procedures and actions to ensure that they are consistent with our commitment to provide a safe learning environment and protect students’ Constitutional rights,” Lawrence said.
Kinney’s father maintains that there is actually nothing in the student code that bans clothing with the imagery of guns.
While Kinney took his punishment like a good student, he says he’s still not happy with how everything went down.
“I don’t agree with it,” he said. “The NRA does great things and there was nothing wrong with that shirt.
Kinney, who is an avid hunter with a part-time job at the local gun club, says that he believes that he was asked to remove the shirt more for political beliefs than for inappropriateness.
“I’ve worn other shirts before with guns on them,” he said. “I was never asked to cover up. I think this happened because it was an NRA shirt.”
“That’s what I’m leaning towards.”
