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"When I talked with the Superintendent he absolutely had concerns about it and thinks it might be outdated," OKCPS Spokeswoman Tierney Tinnin told News 9.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