Student sues school for allegedly being told to take off 'homosexuality is a sin' shirt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) – The parent of a Middle Tennessee student has filed a lawsuit against their school district after the student was ordered to change a shirt which read "homosexuality is a sin-1 Corinthians 6:9-10."

According to the lawsuit against the Overton County Board of Education filed in the Middle District of Tennessee court, the suit claims the student was "acting to spread awareness of her views regarding political, religious, and social topics."

The suit claims the girl's rights were violated by the school, violating her Freedom of Speech, Free Exercise of Religion, Due Process, Equal Protection, and rights under the Tennessee Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2009.

The suit adds the student wants to continue expressing her "peaceful activities" without being marked as absent, expelled, demerited, or suspended.

At the center of the suit is the Overton County School District's Student Handbook which the suit explains states "Clothing with offensive messages, including advertisements for drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sexual connotations or double meanings is unacceptable.”

The suit goes on to say the handbook does not define sexual connotations or the other descriptions but the student was told to remove her shirt because it had sexual connotations. Another point of contention is the student was at the time in a classroom where a teacher was "displaying a pro-homosexual symbol."

The girl's parents were contacted to bring her a change of clothing and allegedly told the shirt was in violation because the word "sex" was part of the message on her shirt.

The parents ultimately decided to just pick the student up from the principal's office which they say led to the student being marked absent.

In addition to violating the student's rights, the suit claims the school district's enforcement is censoring the student's religious speech and places a burden on her not imposed on other individuals. "By forcing Plaintiff B.A.P. to choose between abandoning her religious beliefs in order to receive an education and, alternatively, abiding by her religious beliefs only to be demerited and disciplined, the School District has imposed a substantial burden on Plaintiff," the suit states.

FOX 17 News contacted the district for comment. Director of Schools Mark L. Winningham stated, " I am unaware of any lawsuit, therefore under advice of counsel I have no further comment at this time."

Read the full lawsuit below: