8th Grader Arrested, Suspended for NRA 'Protect Your Right' T-Shirt With Image of Gun

An eighth grade student from West Virginia has been arrested, suspended and faces charges for wearing an NRA T-shirt with the image of a firearm and the words "Protect Your Right" printed on it to school.

Conflict over Jared Marcum's shirt got him arrested and suspended from school. (Image: WOWK screenshot)

WOWK-TV reported Jared Marcum saying he never thought there would be a problem with his pro-Second Amendment apparel.

"I never thought it would go this far because honestly I don't see a problem with this. There shouldn't be a problem with this," Marcum told WOWK-TV.

Police confirmed that Marcum had been arrested and faced charges of obstruction and disturbing the education process after getting into an argument over the shirt with a teacher at Logan Middle School, which is south of Charleston.

Marcum with his father. (Image: WOWK screenshot)

Logan Middle School's policy regarding dress states:

A student will not dress or groom in a manner that disrupts the educational process or is detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of others. A student will not dress in a manner that is distractive or indecent, to the extent that it interferes with the teaching and learning process, including wearing any apparel that displays or promotes any drug-, alcohol- or tobacco-related product that is prohibited in school buildings, on school grounds, in school-leased or owned vehicles, and at all school-affiliated functions.

The student's father, Allen Lardieri, told WOWK that the shirt didn't violate this policy, nor did his son become aggressive when confronted about it.

"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.

Watch the report:

WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

This story has been updated to correct that the station is WOWK-TV. 

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