Student Kicked Out Of Class For Wearing Shirt That Said ‘There Are Only Two Genders’

Liam Morrison, a student in the seventh grade at John T. Nichols Jr. Middle School in Middleborough, recently gained widespread attention for his passionate speech during a Middleborough School Committee meeting on April 13th.

Credit: YouTube/Middleborough Educational Television

In the meeting, Liam recounted the incident where he was sent home from school for wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "there are only two genders".

His fiery speech, which defended his right to free speech and personal beliefs, gained traction on social media, particularly on right-wing Twitter accounts like Libs of TikTok.

According to Morrison's account, he was abruptly removed from his gym class on March 21st and taken to meet with school officials.

During the meeting, which he described as "uncomfortable talk," they informed him that some students had lodged complaints about the message on his t-shirt.

They claimed that the slogan, "there are only two genders," made these students feel "unsafe."

"They told me that I wasn't in trouble, but it sure felt like I was," the boy stated.

Credit: YouTube/Middleborough Educational Television

"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."

Despite the school's decision to send him home, Morrison's father was supportive of his son's beliefs and arrived at school to pick him up.

Morrison reiterated that the message on his shirt, "there are only two genders," was not intended to harm or threaten anyone.

Morrison insisted that the five words printed on his shirt conveyed "nothing harmful, nothing threatening. Just a statement I believe to be a fact."

During his meeting with school officials, Liam Morrison was told that the message on his shirt was "targeting a protected class", likely referring to transgender and nonbinary people, and was considered a disruption to learning.

However, Morrison firmly rejected these claims and argued that his shirt did not attack or target any individual or group.

Credit: YouTube/Middleborough Educational Television

Instead, it simply conveyed a scientific fact, and he saw no reason why he should have to remove his shirt or be sent home from school.

"Who is this protected class?" he asked.

"Are their feelings more important than my rights? I don't complain when I see Pride flags and diversity posters hung throughout the school. Do you know why? Because others have a right to their beliefs, just as I do."

In his address to the school committee, Morrison also emphasized that his shirt did not cause any disruption in the classroom.

He maintained that he wore the shirt to express his personal beliefs and did not engage in disruptive behavior in class.

"No one got up and stormed out of class. No one burst into tears," Morrison told his audience. "I'm sure I would have noticed if they had."

"I experience disruptions to my learning every day," he added. "Kids acting out in class are a disruption, yet nothing is done. Why do the rules apply to one yet not another?"

Morrison also noted that before he was asked to leave the school, no one had directly complained to him about the words on his shirt.

In fact, he shared that some students had even expressed their support for him. He emphasized that he wore the shirt to express his right to free speech and not to hurt anyone's feelings or cause trouble.

"I know that I have a right to wear a shirt with those five words," Morrison said.

"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."

Morrison ended his speech by urging the School Committee to uphold the right of all students to express themselves freely.

He emphasized the importance of creating a learning environment that values diversity and promotes inclusivity while also respecting students' rights to free speech and expression.

"My hope in being here tonight is to bring the School Committee's attention to this issue. 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,” he warned. “There might be more soon that decide to speak out.”

Following the widespread attention garnered by Liam Morrison's speech, the Massachusetts Family Institute, a conservative Christian nonprofit, announced on Twitter that it is providing legal support for the boy.

While it is unclear if any legal action will be taken, the organization's involvement underscores the contentious nature of issues related to free speech and gender identity in schools.

As of Monday, the Middleborough school superintendent has not issued a comment regarding the incident.