Janet Bristow Sues Johnston Community School lowa Over Daughter’s Pro-Gun Shirt’ The mother of an Iowa student sued her daughter’s high school Monday after her daughter was suspended for wearing a pro-gun T-shirt.
A photo of a pro-gun T-shirt taken from court documents in the Bristow case is shown.
Janet Bristow Sues Johnston Community School lowa Over Daughter’s Pro-Gun Shirt
Janet Bristow filed a federal lawsuit against the Johnston Community School District and several individuals on behalf of her daughter, identified as “A.B.” in court documents.
The complaint alleges that in Sept. 2022, just two days after A.B.’s teacher, Tom Griffin, covered students’ free speech rights in government class, A.B. was suspended from school for wearing a shirt that said “What part of ‘shall not be infringed’ do you not understand?” and featured an image of a rifle.
Bristow argues that her daughter had worn this shirt to school before without incident and that it was meant to be an obvious commentary on Second Amendment rights. In the complaint, Bristow names not only the teacher who ousted her daughter from class, but also associate principals Nate Zittergruen and Randy Klein, principal Ryan Woods, school leadership director Chris Billings, and the Johnston Community School District itself.
Bristow argues that not only should the district have been aware of her daughter’s right to wear such a shirt, but that Griffin, an expert in constitutional rights, should have been clear on protections owed to A.B.
