We all know someone affected by breast cancer. Mrs. Mayfield, one of the sweetest ladies I know, was diagnosed with it a few years ago.

Many schools across the nation are banning clothing items supporting the fight against breast cancer. Items like “I love boobies” bracelets and “save the tata’s” shirts are banned from school campuses. The school administrators may deem these as “crude” or “not school appropriate”. Although our first amendment right includes freedom of speech, public school systems are not acknowledging this as they ban breast cancer awareness clothing.

In 1968 the same argument was made about freedom of speech against the Vietnam War. In Des Moines, Iowa, students began wearing black armbands in protest against the Vietnam War. This case went all the way to the Supreme Court and it was called Tinker vs. Des Moines, Tinker being the students wearing the armbands and Des Moines being the school banning it. Tinker did win this case, but the court ruled that the school can act as a temporary parent if a student’s actions become disruptive.

However, wearing a small armband, whether it’s fighting against breast cancer or Vietnam, should not disrupt an entire school. Supporting the women going through one of the most common cancers for females should be encouraged, not punished.

Private schools are a different story altogether concerning their uniforms. Unless specified by an administrator, the students must wear the designated uniform set by the school. Most private schools even have contracts for the students and parents to sign in order to make sure everyone knows what is expected of them. Students that attended Fort Washington School, a private school in Pennsylvania, were put on in-school suspension for wearing pink shirts to school in support of breast cancer. Although this seems ridiculous and unfair, the school has every right to, being a private school they make their own rules and the students are completely aware of this.

Let’s all be mature adults and not snicker at a bracelet that says “ I love boobies” and maybe the school systems will allow them.