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Sypniewski v. Warren Hills R.S.D.
CIR prevails in case challenging suspension of high school senior for wearing Jeff Foxworthy shirt, so-called zero tolerance policies at stake
Thomas Sypniewski, a high-achieving senior at a Washington, N.J., public high school, prevailed in his several year fight for his First Amendment rights after being suspended in 2001 for wearing a T-shirt listing the "Top 10 Reasons You Might Be A Redneck Sports Fan." With the help of the Center for Individual Rights and New York law firm KMZRosenman, he and his brothers succeeded in getting the federal courts to declare the school's dress code and harassment policy an unconstitutionally broad restriction on his speech.
Follow the links below to learn Tom's story chronologically.
Was the "redneck sports fan" T-shirt racist or offensive?
Tom, who considers himself a redneck, had worn the shirt to school dozens of times before without complaint. View the text of the shirt and decide for yourself if his suspension was justified.
The suspension makes the newspapers Local media quickly picked up the story and soon everyone knew Tom had been suspended. Read an account from the March 23, 2001 edition of Newark's Star-Ledger.
Tom appeals the decision and finds support in the press
With his family firmly behind him, Tom decided to appeal his suspension to the Warren Hills Regional School Board. The local Express-Times weighed in on his side with an outraged editorial.
The school board upholds his suspension Although Tom had been confident that the Board would listen to reason, his appeal was denied.
Prominent NY attorney agrees to represent Tom with CIR>
The Sypniewski family brought in Gerald Walpin of the law firm KMZRosenman and the Center for Individual Rights to protect Tom's rights. In a letter to the superintendent, Walpin explained why the school board's policies were unconstitutional, and requested an apology and the dismissal of his suspension. But the letter yielded only an evasive reply stating that Tom's injuries were his own fault. Walpin later met with the school board but they refused to rescind Tom's suspension.
Jeff Foxworthy sides with Tom in a letter to CIR Curt Levey of the Center for Individual Rights alerted comedian Jeff Foxworthy to the fuss. Foxworthy was amazed: he said that "redneck" signifies only "a glorious absence of sophistication" and offered his whole-hearted support to Tom.
A lawsuit is filed in a federal courthouse in New Jersey
Having exhausted all other options, Tom and his brothers, Brian and Matthew, decided to sue the Warren Hills Regional Board of Education. Classmates, family, and their attorneys accompanied them to the federal courthouse in Newark, N.J. and answered questions from the media.
View statements by:
Read the CIR press release about victory in the appeals court
Read questions and answers about the case
See photos of the filing and the press conference
View important CIR cases concerning freedom of speech
Learn more about CIR's history, mission and other groundbreaking CIR cases.
Help CIR protect Freedom of Speech: donate to the cause! Remember, the Center for Individual Rights is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation. Your contribution is tax-deductible.
 Last
revised:
23-Jul-2013
 
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