Dad of WVA boy arrested over NRA shirt says he'll fight punishment

[Hum]

A West Virginia teenager who was arrested and suspended from school after he refused to remove an NRA T-shirt is back in class.

Fourteen-year-old Jared Marcum of Logan returned to Logan Middle School on Monday after serving a one-day suspension.

His father, Allen Lardieri, told 13 News that the situation was exaggerated and said, "I don't see how anybody would have an issue with a hunting rifle and NRA put on a T-shirt, especially when policy doesn?t forbid it."

The school district's dress code prohibits any profanity, violence, discriminatory messages, but the report noted that gun images are not on the list.

"I will go to the ends of the earth, I will call people, I will write letters, I will do everything in the legal realm to make sure this does not happen again," Lardieri said, according to the report.

The teen's lawyer, Ben White, says school administrators maintain that Marcum disrupted the educational process. He says Marcum was exercising his right to free speech and wasn't disruptive.

Logan police arrested Marcum at the school last Thursday after he refused a teacher's order to remove the shirt. White says prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether to file charges.

Marcum has said that he was arrested on charges of disrupting an educational process and obstructing an officer, though White said Monday that the Logan County prosecutor's office is reviewing the case to decide whether to proceed.

Marcum wore the same shirt to school Monday. It displays the NRA logo and a hunting rifle.

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[Chris123NT]

My question is what the hell happened here that would make it a police matter? AFAIK it's not illegal to wear any kind of shirt in public, so why should the police get involved in school policy?

[M_Lyons10]

My question is what the hell happened here that would make it a police matter? AFAIK it's not illegal to wear any kind of shirt in public, so why should the police get involved in school policy?

Because some schools think calling the police on something so ridiculous is appropriate...

We had an elementary school student near me at recess talking to one of her friends about playing together sometime and she made mention to playing with her Hello Kitty bubble gun (Which she didn't have with her at school) and not only was she suspended (At 6 years old), but it went on her permanent school record (With the school refusing to remove it) so now her mother is having a hard time finding a school that will accept her daughter. The school claimed that it was a terroristic threat and that is also what was placed on her record.

The problem in this country to be quite honest starts with the administration and faculty at schools...

[fusi0n]

The problem in this country to be quite honest starts with the administration and faculty at schools...

This. Right Here.

[t_r_nelson]

This all boils down to a serious lack of critical thinking. They don't want any gray areas that might require using common sense to actually think about things. Now they can stand back and scream the zero-tolerance mantra. No need to use that lump three feet above their ass.

[M_Lyons10]

This all boils down to a serious lack of critical thinking. They don't want any gray areas that might require using common sense to actually think about things. Now they can stand back and scream the zero-tolerance mantra. No need to use that lump three feet above their ass.

Absolutely. There's no common sense at all. Not only that, but there's no attempt to even use any! I mean, the 6 year old in my example was actually demanded to have a psychological evaluation (Though I believe that was eventually dropped, it remains on her record).

Another kid was threatened with a 2 week suspension because he built a gun out of legos and made gun sounds during play time...

Another student was suspended for pretending his finger was a gun during recess...

It is disgusting and shameful.

Edit: Looks like the girl with the Hello Kitty Bubble Gun was FINALLY cleared after her mother got an attorney. But the terms of the agreement specified that she is not allowed to disclose what the school actually did...

[Torolol]

so schools start to treat NRA logo & rifle images like somekind of Nazi Symbols.

[Ph1b3r0pt1c]

Welcome to the 21st century. They want to preach this crap in schools, all the while attempting to force religious belifes onto our kids. I had an issue when my daughter was in the 5th grade, after a teacher starting talking about how god created everything and my daughter interupted her asking her for proof. My daughter was suspended for causing a scene. I am slowly starting to hate this country, and everything it stands for. There is nothing free about the USA anymore.

[LaP]

Logan police arrested Marcum at the school last Thursday after he refused a teacher's order to remove the shirt. White says prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether to file charges.

Marcum has said that he was arrested on charges of disrupting an educational process and obstructing an officer, though White said Monday that the Logan County prosecutor's office is reviewing the case to decide whether to proceed.

:|

Seriously why did the police get involved in this.

[KingCracker]

Why? This is ridiculously stupid and who ever called the cops for this should be made to pay the expenses of having the police show up. The police should be dealing with serious matters..

[moloko]

This is why we need uniforms in school. This would of never happened. The Principal would not need to call the police for someone refusing to take off this shirt...and I am sure there is more to the story than him just saying no. Sounds like there might of been more of a bout of words between both sides.

[Tuishimi]

Welcome to the 21st century. They want to preach this crap in schools, all the while attempting to force religious belifes onto our kids. I had an issue when my daughter was in the 5th grade, after a teacher starting talking about how god created everything and my daughter interupted her asking her for proof. My daughter was suspended for causing a scene. I am slowly starting to hate this country, and everything it stands for. There is nothing free about the USA anymore.

Your post makes no sense to me. How are you equating the two situations? Generally speaking, schools side on the liberal side of things and wearing a T-Shirt with a gun on it would offend the sensibilities of people who believe guns are horrible. Your suggestion regarding religion would come from the opposite extreme. What baffles me is that in a state where hunting is HUGE an NRA T would be a problem. Seeing the T in the news article, I wonder at all what the problem was... Perhaps they should have some sort of rule regarding students wearing Ts expressing their desire to support specific political positions.

[Ph1b3r0pt1c]

Generally speaking, schools side on the liberal side of things and wearing a T-Shirt with a gun on it would offend the sensibilities of people who believe guns are horrible.

Just like my daughters school offended the sensibilities of people who want an education based on science, not a book written

2k years ago to control people. Its the same thing, but as you said the opposite extreme. Just for the record, I am neither right, left, center moderate or any of that other political crap. If there is nothing in the school code for dress, they had no business doing what they did. If there is, then he was in the wrong, end of story.

[DocM]

This all boils down to a serious lack of critical thinking. They don't want any gray areas that might require using common sense to actually think about things. Now they can stand back and scream the zero-tolerance mantra. No need to use that lump three feet above their ass.

Precisely!!

[Growled Member]

The teen's lawyer, Ben White, says school administrators maintain that Marcum disrupted the educational process. He says Marcum was exercising his right to free speech and wasn't disruptive.

I think both sides are taking this too far.It's just a freaking T-shirt people.

[FlintyV]

Little update -

The 14-year-old kid arrested over his pro-NRA shirt now faces a year in jail

 

The West Virginia eighth-grader who was suspended and arrested in late April after he refused to remove a t-shirt supporting the National Rifle Association appeared in court this week and was formally charged with obstructing an officer.

As CBS affiliate WTRF reports, 14-year-old Jared Marcum now faces a $500 fine and a maximum of one year in prison.

The boy?s father, Allen Lardieri, is not pleased.

?Me, I?m more of a fighter and so is Jared and eventually we?re going to get through this,? Lardieri told WTRF.  ?I don?t think it should have ever gotten this far.?

?Every aspect of this is just totally wrong,? Lardieri added.  ?He has no background of anything criminal up until now and it just seems like nobody wants to admit they?re wrong.?

 

http://news.yahoo.com/14-old-kid-arrested-over-pro-nra-shirt-071819724.html

[ahhell]

Does the kid really need a freakin' lawyer??

[LaP]

 

"I will go to the ends of the earth, I will call people, I will write letters, I will do everything in the legal realm to make sure this does not happen again," Lardieri said, according to the report.

 

If wearing a particular t-shirt of any kind is that important to you it's the time to re-evaluate your priorities.

[LaP]

The problem in this country to be quite honest starts with the administration and faculty at schools...

 

And bad parenting.

 

When i was young i was asked to turn inside out a metal group t-shirt that was inoffensive so the logo could not be seen. I complied with the teacher. Why ? Cause that's what you freaking do when you're a kid and i knew my dad would support the teacher and not support me over a stupid t-shirt.

 

I agree some rules at school are dumb. And saying they are dumb is okay. But you still have to comply because this is the way life works.

[chrisj1968]

This all boils down to a serious lack of critical thinking. They don't want any gray areas that might require using common sense to actually think about things. Now they can stand back and scream the zero-tolerance mantra. No need to use that lump three feet above their ass.

LOL.. I almost choked on my ramen noodles..

And bad parenting.

 

When i was young i was asked to turn over a metal group t-shirt that was inoffensive so the logo could not be seen. I complied with the teacher. Why ? Cause that's what you freaking do when you're a kid and i knew my dad would support the teacher and not support me over a stupid t-shirt.

 

I agree some rules at school are dumb. And saying they are dumb is okay. But you still have to comply because this is the way life works. If my boss say no NRA t-shirt then it is no NRA t-shirt.

I think it is the overt ludicrousness of the issue. like the kid beign suspended from school for what was construed as the boy biting his pop tart into the shape of what was perceived as a gun..

[ATLien_0]

What more than likely happend is that the Teacher went with the zero tolerance policy, kid goes to the Principal and flips out over being suspended, only reason I could see the Police being called. Police get there kid, refuses to cooperate. 

 

To be honest though, yes there is nothing stating he can't wear the shirt, and I would imagine the family is an NRA supporter as well, but really do you want your kid to be getting that kind of attention in the first place. In todays day in age people are very sensitive to this stuff especially when it comes down to the NRA, parents should have thought about it before letting the kid wear the shirt to school. 

 

On the school side, simple thing would have been to leave it alone, talk to the kid/parents after class/school and explain that the shirt is sensitive to some people and suggest not wearing it.  When I was growing up, I saw this happen several times at school, heck our principal had a box of plain white T's in the office if he thought the shirt in question was too over the top for school

[Stoffel]

Don't you think there is more to the story? Why would a school call the cops for a T-shirt?

The kid must have gone in a serious fit about it and that's why they called the cops, no?

 

Or are people really this dumb these days?

 

I do agree with Lap on this one. When we were young and the teacher told us to do something we did it, that was called having respect for your superior.

And the parents would side with the teachers, not try to sue them afterwards.

[TrevorLahey]

Don't you think there is more to the story? Why would a school call the cops for a T-shirt?

The kid must have gone in a serious fit about it and that's why they called the cops, no?

 

Or are people really this dumb these days?

 

I do agree with Lap on this one. When we were young and the teacher told us to do something we did it, that was called having respect for your superior.

And the parents would side with the teachers, not try to sue them afterwards.

I agree but at some point enough is enough.  When the teachers are no longer using common sense to allow a t-shirt you've got to put your foot down and hopefully somebody else would use common sense.  But I also think something is missing from this story.  It's gotten too big for this to be an issue over a NRA shirt.

[Noir Angel]

There are rules at school and if you can't hack those rules TS. Given the kind of fearmongering the gun lobbies usually do I have my doubts that a pro NRA t-shirt is the only infraction here.

[SierraSonic]

There are rules at school and if you can't hack those rules TS. Given the kind of fearmongering the gun lobbies usually do I have my doubts that a pro NRA t-shirt is the only infraction here.

? According the article you just DIDN'T read, he broke no rules.