Gay student disciplined for wearing pro-LGBT shirt

On Monday, Ali, 13, wore a shirt that read, "Some people are gay. Get over it."

She told KCEN she was called into the principal's office and asked to change her shirt.

Ali's mother, Cassie Watson, wrote about the incident in a Facebook post.

"She was discriminated against for wearing a shirt about people being gay. Ten minutes into school she was called to the principal's office. She was met by all the administration in one office where she was essentially bullied," Watson wrote. "She was told she could not leave the office until a parent brought her another shirt. She asked why and was told they weren't going to tolerate "that" in their school."

Watson said Ali called her at work and was "hysterical," adding that her daughter was so upset she had to check her out of school for the day.

"I have filed the written complaint, left a message for the school board and have contacted three different news stations to bring awareness to this issue," she said.

Watson told KCEN that she does not want an apology from the school, but thinks her daughter should get one.

"I would never, ever have expected it from the administration," Watson said. "I would think that the administration would be the first ones there to support her."

"It’s just a shirt, and it’s not hurting anybody," Ali said.

District Spokeswoman Wendy Sledd said the shirt was a distraction and violated the school's dress code.

"Our purpose at CCISD is to educate children, first and foremost," Sledd said in a statement to KCEN. "According to CCISD’s dress code in the student handbook and code of conduct, clothing that is disruptive to the learning environment based on reactions by other students is prohibited. The student was offered a school shirt to wear and declined."

The district said Ali was called into the principal's office to remove her shirt after some students were distracted by it, but Chaney said that was not the case.