Good News Friday #1: Maverick Couch Can Wear His Shirt

Maverick Couch went to school one day wearing this T-shirt, emblazoned with the words 'Jesus Is Not A Homophobe' and all, well, hell broke loose.

I guess because Principal Randy Gebhardt of his school believed Jesus was, in fact, a homophobe. Or something. Gebhardt told Couch to turn the T-shirt inside out, and he complied. When he politely asked if he could wear the T-shirt another day, Gebhardt threatened him with suspension.

So, I thought we'd take a moment and track down Jesus--he's staying in a Holiday Inn on I-20 just outside Smallville--and ask him point-blank, in his face, how he feels about The Gays.

Jesus said, "                                              "

And then he said, "                      "

And he ended with "                                      "

See, Jesus never said a word about The Gays, so, I'm thinking, how can the principal at Maverick Couch's school say that Maverick's shirt was wrong?

He can't.

Lambda Legal sent Gebhardt a letter in January outlining the legal precedent supporting Maverick’s right to wear the shirt. The school district responded that “the message communicated by the student’s T-shirt is sexual in nature and therefore indecent and inappropriate in a school setting.” 

So, Lambda Legal sued the school district on Maverick’s behalf on April 3, and the very next day the school conceded that Couch could wear the shirt. The school district and principal agreed today to have a judgment entered against them.

Maverick says:"I just wanted to wear my shirt. The shirt is a statement of pride, and I hope other students like me know that they can be proud, too."

And when asked about it, Jesus set down his sweet tea, and said, "Way to go, Maverick, and thanks, Lambda Legal.”

via Lambda Legal