NRA sues Albemarle County schools
The National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit against Albemarle County public schools Tuesday for violation of free speech rights.
The NRA accused administrators at Jack Jouett Middle School of breaching 12- year-old student Alan Newsom's constitutional rights when he was forced to turn an NRA T-shirt inside-out last April.
The child's shirt featured silhouettes of three target shooters under the heading "NRA Shooting Camp."
The school's vice principal, who instructed Newsom to conceal the images, said the shirt's depictions violated Albemarle County school policy, Fred Newsom, Alan's father, told The Daily Progress.
"I was disappointed that he was made to feel disapproval about something that he had left that morning feeling proud about," Newsom said.
The Newsom family proceeded to search their student handbook for the rule Alan had violated. The family couldn't find evidence of such a policy in the handbook.
They then decided to complain to the NRA.
The NRA responded to Newsom's request by contacting school administrators.
The school administratorsthen added a provision to the handbook banning students from wearing clothing with images of weapons or violence for the 2002-2003 school year.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville, argues the new provision is too broad.
It continues by arguing that Newsom's rights to free speech and due process were violated by forcing him to reverse his shirt during school.
The NRA's lawyers seek $100,000 in compensation and $60,000 in punitive damages.
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