Education

5-Year-Old Okla. Boy Banned From Wearing Mich. T-Shirt at School…Because Policy Only Allows State School Attire

A principal at an Oklahoma Elementary school last week ordered 5-year-old Cooper Barton to turn his University of Michigan t-shirt inside out because — get this — the dress code for Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) states that “only Oklahoma college apparel is allowed … Clothes from all other schools are against current policy,” News 9 reports.

Needless to say, the boy’s mother was not particularly thrilled when she found out.

“They should really worry about academics. It wasn’t offensive. He’s five,” says Shannon Barton.

According to the report, the kid had to turn his clothes inside out behind a tree on the playground.

News9.com – Oklahoma City, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports |

“The OKCPS Dress Code policy also says no professional team apparel. That means students are prohibited from wearing Oklahoma City Thunder gear to class,” News 9 reports. “The district says the dress code was created in 2005 with the help of an Anti-Gang Task Force.”

Sure, we understand policies geared towards busting up gangs — but a 5-year-old?

Barton’s complaints haven’t fallen on deaf ears and OKPCS officials say they’ll review the current dress policy.

“When I talked with the Superintendent he absolutely had concerns about it and thinks it might be outdated,” OKCPS Spokeswoman Tierney Tinnin told News 9.

The Oklahoma City School Superintendent released this statement on Monday:

This has presented an opportunity to review the current OKCPS District Dress Code Policy that has been in place since 2005. It states that clothing bearing names or emblems of all professional and collegiate athletic teams (with the exception of Oklahoma colleges and universities) are prohibited.

In cooperation with the Oklahoma City Police Department Gang Task Force, the policy was approved in 2005 after concerns that nationwide gangs used popular sports clothing to represent individual gangs. As when any policy is questioned; OKCPS administration will review the policy to determine if changes need to be made.”

–Karl Springer, Superintendent

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

(H/T: FS Local). Front page photo source courtesy the AP.

Comments (88)

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  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:07pm

    Yet he will not be able to read his diploma in 12 years of government union schools………but they will tell him what to wear and what to eat and how to collect state benefits and who to vote for..”…..

    Report Post »  
    • turkey13
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 7:00pm

      I may live in Oklahoma but was born in Texas back when they didn’t worry about political correctness. I am embarressed about this and the gang unit that came up with this policy has been slipping into the evidence room and stealing pot. By the way here in S. Oklahoma we must have a different policy because when I went and picked up my 4 grand sons this evening I noticed what two had on. One of the 4 year olds had a Texas A&M and one of the 5 year olds had on a Oklahoma State and no one said a thing.

      Report Post »  
    • toiletclogga
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 7:17am

      Oklahoma City has a problem with gangs, and unfortunately, these miscreants use college colors (apparrell) as a sign of their affiliation. It may seem heavy handed, but it is necessary to prevent “situations” which may arise due to an innocent person merely wearing the “wrong” color shirt/jersey. I don’t believe this rule is used to prevent wearing of “other than OSU/Oklahoma apparell.”

      Report Post »  
  • JJFernandez
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:01pm

    What happens when a gang opts to wear polos, khakis, or rugby shirts? Will that attire be banned at this school system as well? Instead of penalizing the kids that follow the rules, how about focusing on the ones that don’t care about the rules?

    Report Post » JJFernandez  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:15pm

      LOL, sounds like a scene from The Warriors.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • yourpantsonfire
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 5:12pm

      This sounds like a scene from Alis in wonderland!

      Report Post » yourpantsonfire  
    • toiletclogga
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 7:20am

      You have to deal with reality. Gangs are not wearing polos. They are wearing colors of college football teams to indentify themselves as affiliates of those gangs. An innocent person can be construed to be part of that gang if they inadvertently stray into another gang’s territory while wearing that jersey. Sometimes common sense trumps freedom.

      Report Post »  
  • SiKa7x
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:56pm

    GO BLUE! But seriously, this is ridiculous. Many times I feel that donning college colors like that shows what level of education they may be of. I never thought the Ohio kids shouldn’t be allowed to wear their Ohio clothes, I just always knew they weren’t the smartest of kids.

    Report Post »  
  • COFemale
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:54pm

    This is so ridiculous, I don’t know where to begin. Can we just use common sense. If gang members use collegiate or Professional clothing then ban the gang member not the clothing. Politically Correct has gone awry.

    We all know 5 years olds are on the verge of gang membership, why not make them go to school naked? (sarcasm)

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • rpp
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:52pm

    This is yet another one of those “zero-tolerance” policies. Despite what some say, I actually do believe that those who promulgate and enforce these silly “zero-tolerance” rules are actually qualified to make a productive contribution to society. I will concede, however that their contribution is limited to that of being an organ donor.

    Report Post » rpp  
    • piecolorado
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:06pm

      This is not zero tollerance. That would require that the boy gets expelled for wearing the shirt. This policy is stupid, but nobody was suspended or expelled. A discussion was started to review the policy. Maybe some reasonable people will now run for the school-board and fix things. This is not worth a national news story.

      Report Post »  
  • The_Jerk
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:49pm

    The fools of education. Teachers included.

    Report Post »  
  • Master.Debater
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:48pm

    Nothing wrong with enforcing a dress code in school. What is ludicrous is that the have an exception for Oklahoma state colleges. That’s ridiculous.

    Report Post » Master.Debater  
  • lukerw
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:40pm

    Adults USING Children… to fight their battle… is CONTEMPTIBLE!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Skeeterhawk
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:39pm

    Is it ant wonder our kids and our country are just about finished? how can stuff like this even be real?

    Report Post » Skeeterhawk  
  • SquidVetOhio
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:39pm

    It’s an education issue. Wearing Michigan attire will lead to stupidity.

    Q: Do you know the best way to get a Michigan graduate off your porch?

    A: Pay for your pizza! hee hee

    Go Bucs!

    Report Post » SquidVetOhio  
  • deeberj
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:38pm

    It sounds like a stupid dress code. Either allow all team shirts or none. Gangs could be represented by colors too. So everyone wearing blue is one gang and everyone wearing red is another. Their restriction on team shirts is not effective.

    So many kids get in trouble for interpreting dress codes incorrectly, I totally support uniforms for public schools. Or at least not allowing clothing with any emblems or words on them. That would nip many problems in the bud.

    Having him take off his shirt outside behind a tree is humiliating. They could have sent him to the office or the school nurse where he could do that privately.

    Report Post » deeberj  
  • Dismayed Veteran
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:38pm

    For all who harken back to the “good old days” before government controlled our lives, I just want you to know when I was in high school we could not wear jeans and girls could not wear slacks. My senior year (1966) we finally got to wear jeans.

    Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
    • deeberj
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:49pm

      Yep, I remember those days. But it was in 1969 that they started allowing jeans.

      Report Post » deeberj  
  • Sirfoldallot
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:36pm

    School Uniform not Fashion, they r there 2 learn.

    Report Post » Sirfoldallot  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:35pm

    Of course they ban a Mich. T Shirt, in OK, they can only go up to J in the alphabet, so the rest of the kids are feeling bad because he can read up to M. In OK, you don’t get to wear an Oklahoma t shirt until at least 5th grade, that’s when they finally get to the letter O. Besides, why would anyone not want to go to OU, the main degree you get from there is Cow, It’s whats for dinner, with a minor in How to light the BBQ.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • SingerGuy
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:33pm

    The nanny state strikes again. OK, so gangs are using team shirts rather than just wearing, say, red. That doesn’t mean that anyone with a Bengals t-shirt, or a red t-shirt is a gang member. Geez Louise!

    Report Post » SingerGuy  
  • IMCHRISTIAN
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:29pm

    Ever since I was young years ago the schools always had a dress code and rules. Perhaps the schools should send a list to parents before school years start.

    Report Post »  
    • deeberj
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:48pm

      I’m sure they send out the dress code. I got something every year for all of my kids. But I read them so I didn’t let my kids go to school in something that would get them into trouble.

      But I must say I hate when they say don’t wear something offensive. Offensive to whom? That is subjective and vague and should never be part of a school dress code. What if a kid and his parents think a group like Deicide is not offensive to them, but the Deicide tshirt with a disembowled Jesus is sure to offend some.

      Report Post » deeberj  
  • team1blazer
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:28pm

    Either require school uniforms (a pretty good idea), or eliminate the wearing of all “insignia” clothing; otherwise, this becomes a free speach issue. I’m glad to hear that the school board recognizes the problem and wants to address it.

    Report Post » team1blazer  
  • HotFixIt
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:28pm

    Did Hitler have a theme song? If so… time to start playing it….

    Report Post »  
  • normalmom
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:26pm

    That is nuts, I collected college sweatshirts when I was in school because I wanted to go to college and didn’t know which one. I still have several and my boys sometimes wear them. Seriously if the school wants to refuse anyone to dress a certain way tell them to PULL UP YOUR PANTS. That is one of the stupidest “styles” ever thought up. Underwear is exactly that UNDER.

    Report Post »  
  • blackyb
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:25pm

    What an illegal thing to do. I imagine they are not only getting taxes from OK state fans do they? One good shirt deserves another, right? That is a blatant breach of freedom of expression unless they are a private school supported by private funds. Whoever made that rule may just be in for some hard times, otherwise.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • RaydocX
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:24pm

    i loev the article’s attempt to downplay ludicrous administrative decisions and the mindless drone behavior that carte blan emforces such, ‘the parent’s complaints aren’t falling on deaf ears…’
    Puh-lease… i‘m less worried about whether the ears can hear than whether what’s between said ears is more than the fluff in Poo’s head.

    In a world with about a million real worries, I don’t imagine a Michigan T shirt, even on a high school kid, is really what our teachers and administrators should be keying on or enforcing the rules about….

    but sadly our teachers have been prevented from actually teaching to the point that i’m not really surprised that this is more important then whether Johnnie can spell Michigan.

    Report Post » RaydocX  
  • NHwinter
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:21pm

    If you look at the headlines on the Blaze it becomes very clear that the government is intruding into our lives in every area. Since when did schools start telling kids what they can wear on their t-shirts unless it is obnoxious, or hand out free water, etc. Enough of the government control of our lives. I am completely disgusted and just as disgusted with those who hang in there with Obama and his obvious attempts to dictate everything in our lives so he can become the all knowing King of the world. Enough!!!!

    Report Post » NHwinter  
  • right-wing-waco
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:19pm

    Is the Obama brown shirt uniform ok?

    Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:29pm

      In the public school monopoly system it‘s not only accepted it’s revered,and it smells of feces.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • SquidVetOhio
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:17pm

    Anywhere that bans a Michigan T-shirt is awesome in my book!

    Go Bucs!

    Report Post » SquidVetOhio  
    • dblaess
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:49pm

      Just have to say, West Geauga High School (state of Ohio) Wolverines. Any High School in Ohio that is willing to name their football team, Wolvernies, is awesome in my book.

      Go Blue! by the way squidvetohio, Thanks for your service.

      Report Post »  
  • Seattleman
    Posted on August 21, 2012 at 2:16pm

    Being a Wolverine fan,all I can say is Go BLUE!!!

    Report Post »  
    • optimusprimal1972200
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:50pm

      No go green!

      Report Post » optimusprimal1972200  
    • lukerw
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 4:12pm

      “Wolverines”!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • dblaess
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 7:12pm

      @ optimusprimal1972200
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 3:50pm
      No go green!
      ——————————————————————————–
      I thought I knew what you meant, but went to your site to check. Being a supporter of Michigan State, hopefully you will like this. About 25-30 years ago I had to go to Lansing for a meeting. I saw a bumper sticker that has stayed with me. Michigan State “The” University of Michigan. I never thought anyone at MSU could come up with something like this, but understood how good the message was with a few words. I wish the political parties could be like the fans and understand that the game is not life and death, as politics has become.

      Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on August 21, 2012 at 9:57pm

      @DB…
      Sports and the Olympics… echo Combat Skills used in Battle. It is Play Prepartion… for WAR. And, humans, as a Predator Species… are always engaged in WAR!

      Report Post » lukerw  
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