8th Grader Gun T-Shirt Arrest: Charged After Arguing With Teacher Over Policy (VIDEO)
An 8th grade boy was arrested on Friday in West Virginia after arguing with a teacher over school policy regarding a National Rifle Association shirt that depicted a gun.
"Protect Your Right," the NRA t-shirt, worn by Jared Marcum, read. The shirt also revealed the picture of a gun. The 8th grader was arrested after he allegedly argued with a school administrator over this wardrobe decision.
"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," Jared told WOWKTV, a local CBS station.
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Marcum now faces two charges for obstruction and disturbing the education process. The charges are a result that broke out between the 8th grader and a Logan middle school teacher. The incident comes just days after lawmakers failed to pass extended background checks on gun.
Jared's father Allen Lardieri failed to understand why his son was arrested and has argued that the picture on the shirt is not against school policy.
"I don't' see how anybody would have an issue with a hunting rifle and NRA put on a t-shirt, especially when policy doesn't forbid it," Lardieri told the CBS station.
Regarding his son's argument with an instructor, Lardieri emphasized that his son still did not violate policy and "did not become aggressive."
Outside of defending his son, Lardieri also said that such an incident should not happen a second time.
"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.
The school's policy reads:
"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."
Other parents disregarded the incident as typical school policy.
"Every public school I've ever attended has had a policy of not allowing clothing that have curses, profanities or weapons depicted on them. This is not something new or even important," one parent wrote on the Yahoo blog.
