‘Make Liberals Cry Again.’ Pro-Trump student suspended over apparel, PA lawsuit says

A Pennsylvania high school student was suspended for wearing apparel expressing her support for President Donald Trump, according to a lawsuit.

Morgan Earnest, a 15-year-old sophomore in the Mifflin County School District, wore pro-Trump shirts and a face mask, despite a new policy banning students from wearing apparel with political speech or viewpoints.

The pro-Trump student’s shirts included slogans such as “Make Liberals Cry Again” and “Keep America Great” while her mask stated “Women for Trump,” according to the lawsuit.

The school district’s policy prohibits clothing and masks that “contain political speech or symbolize a particular political viewpoint, including but not limited to Confederate flags and swastikas, as well as (Black Lives Matter) logos or phrases associated with that movement.”

Superintendent Jim Estep defended the policy in a statement to Harrisburg TV station WPMT.

“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the complaint, including the veracity of those allegations,” Estep told WPMT. “We stand by our decision, which was made in the interests of safety and to ensure students’ educational environment would not continue to be disrupted. The decision was made after careful consultation with our solicitor and additional special legal counsel.”

In a letter to parents, the school district said the policy was prompted by complaints about political apparel disrupting education, according to the lawsuit.

The battleground state is an election target for Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Biden was leading in Pennsylvania, according to recent polls.

Last week, Earnest was sent to the administrative office and instructed to turn her Trump mask and shirt inside out or go home for the remainder of the day, according to the lawsuit. She refused and the school suspended her, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit asks a judge to halt the suspension and erase the punishment from Earnest’s school records. It says the policy violates her constitutional rights.

This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 11:00 AM with the headline "‘Make Liberals Cry Again.’ Pro-Trump student suspended over apparel, PA lawsuit says."