A 12-year-old boy is being hailed a hero on social media for refusing to bend the knee to left-wing school administrators who scolded him for wearing a benign T-shirt that read, “There are only two genders.”
Liam Morrison, a seventh-grader at Nichols Middle School in Middleborough, Massachusetts, recounted the disturbing incident at a meeting of the Middleborough School Committee on April 13.
His eloquent speech has since gone viral, with many Twitter commenters applauding his bravery in the face of left-wing brainwashing.
“I never thought that the shirt I wore to school on March 21 would lead me to speak with you today,” Liam said. “On that Tuesday morning, I was taken out of gym class to sit down with two adults for what turned out to be a very uncomfortable talk.”
The school officials told the boy that some “people” had complained about his shirt and that some students claimed the words made them feel “unsafe.”
“Yes, words on a shirt made people feel unsafe. They told me that I wasn’t in trouble, but it sure felt like I was,” Liam said. “I was told that I would need to remove my shirt before I could return to class.
“When I nicely told them that I didn’t want to do that, they called my father. Thankfully, my dad — supportive of my decisions — came to pick me up.”
Liam explained: “What did my shirt say? Five simple words: ‘There are only two genders.’ Nothing harmful. Nothing threatening. Just a statement I believe to be a fact.”
School officials told the seventh-grader his shirt was “targeting a protected class,” which made him wonder.
“Who is this protected class? Are their feelings more important than my rights?” Liam said.
“I don’t complain when I see pride flags and diversity posters hung throughout the school,” he said. “Do you know why? Because others have a right to their beliefs, just as I do.”
The boy said no one complained to him about the shirt. In fact, he said, many students supported him.
“Not one person — staff or student — told me that they were bothered by what I was wearing. Actually, just the opposite,” Liam said. “Several kids told me they supported my actions and that they wanted one too.”
The 12-year-old was puzzled by the supposed disruption his shirt caused.
“I was told the shirt was a disruption to learning,” Liam said. “No one got up and stormed out of class. No one burst into tears. I’m sure I would have noticed if they had.”
He added that he never complained about the disruptions other students cause, so he didn’t understand why wearing a shirt would ignite an uproar among the school administration.
“I experience disruptions to my learning every day. Kids acting out in class are a disruption, yet nothing is done,” he explained. “Why do the rules apply to one yet not another?”
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Liam said the message he got from school officials was that diversity of thought was forbidden and would be oppressed.
“I feel like these adults were telling me that it wasn’t OK for me to have an opposing view,” he said. “Their arguments were weak, in my opinion. I didn’t go to school that day to hurt feelings or cause trouble.”
The seventh-grader said the experience taught him that adults don’t always know what they’re doing and reaffirmed his belief that free speech is worth fighting for.
“I have learned a lot from this experience,” Liam said. “I learned that a lot of other students share my view. I learned that adults don’t always do the right thing or make the right decisions.
“I know that I have a right to wear a shirt with those five words. Even at 12 years old, I have my own political opinions and I have a right to express those opinions. Even at school. This right is called the First Amendment to the Constitution.”
Liam hopes his experience will encourage the school board to be more open-minded. He also believes his one small act of standing up for himself will inspire other kids to fight for their right to express their opinions.
“My hope in being here tonight is to bring the School Committee’s attention to this issue,” he said. “I hope that you will speak up for the rest of us so we can express ourselves without being pulled out of class.
“Next time, it may not only be me. There might be more students that decide to speak out.”
His comments were greeted with applause from the audience.
In addition, numerous Twitter users commended Liam’s courageous defiance in the face of left-wing indoctrination.
This kid is both brave and brilliant.
— John Stemberger (@JohnStemberger) May 1, 2023
Wow. This kid is a legend ?
— Maurice Lipschitz (@maurice_lippy) April 30, 2023
That’s an amazing young man!
— Lady Liberty (@WeDidItOnce) April 30, 2023
“Thankfully, my Dad supported me.” Strong Dads Create Strong Sons and Daughters.
— Speaking Freely (@FreeelySpeaking) April 30, 2023
What an outstanding young man. School should be ashamed that 12 year makes more sense than adults
— Mary McCarthy (@marymjupiter) April 30, 2023
It is a sad reflection on the pitiful state of today’s toxic educational system that a boy could be punished for stating a fact and defending his opinion.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
