California School to Change Policy After Banning Gay T-Shirt

By LISA LEFF, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — Feb 17, 2016, 2:05 PM ET

A central California school district settled a free speech lawsuit brought by a high school junior who was sent home for refusing to change out of a T-shirt that read, "Nobody Knows I'm a Lesbian."

The deal approved Tuesday night requires the Manteca Unified School District, which serves the cities of Stockton, Lathrop and Manteca, to adopt a policy clarifying that students may wear clothing with statements celebrating their or their classmates' cultural identities, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The case is the latest in a long line of legal disputes over the clothing messages that school and college officials may prohibit for the stated purpose of maintaining discipline.

Taylor Victor, 16, and her mother sued two Sierra High School administrators who told the girl in August that her shirt was an improper display of sexuality that violated the school's dress code and might be disruptive. A teacher had her called to the office when she showed up in the shirt, according to court documents.

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