At the end of last week, MFI received a call from a mom in Middleborough who told us that her stepson had been censored by his public middle school for wearing a t-shirt that featured “hate speech.” So, what did the shirt say? Five simple words: “There are only two genders.”
Twelve-year-old Liam Morrison is a 7th grade student at Nichols Middle School. He asked his parents to buy him the shirt because he noticed that many students and teachers at his school had bought into radical gender ideology. Even at twelve years old, Liam understood that our culture has gone off the rails when it comes to beliefs about gender. He decided that he could not sit idly by as people all around him accepted a lie, so he spoke up. Unfortunately, he was not allowed to speak for long; the principal pulled him aside and asked him to change his shirt. When he politely declined, he had to leave school.
MFI responded to this violation of Liam’s First Amendment right to free speech by sending the school a demand letter last Thursday. Since then, Liam’s case has gone viral. Over the weekend, national news outlets ranging from Fox News to the popular “Libs of TikTok” Twitter account posted the video of Liam’s eloquent speech to the Middleborough School Committee. The speech has now received over ten million views. Liam is planning to wear the shirt to school again this Friday, and if the administration stops him, MFI will assist with any necessary legal action.
We are called to speak the truth in love. But without truth, love can become empty affirmation and sentimentality that keeps lost people stuck in darkness. MFI is grateful for courageous young students like Liam who speak the truth to people who are lost in the dark, because that is the most loving thing we can do for them. Would you join us in praying for Liam and supporting students like him?
Please consider making a donation today to help MFI continue the vital work of defending the free speech rights of students like Liam.
For our families,
Sam Whiting, Staff Attorney