Oregon Student Sent Home for T-shirt Showing a Gun

An eighth-grade student in Oregon was sent home for wearing a T-shirt honoring war veterans that the school said was against its dress code.

Alan Holmes, a student at Dexter McCarty Middle School in Greshamn, Ore., wore a shirt depicting the U.S. flag, a gun alongside boots and "Standing for those who stood for us" printed on it. Holmes refused to change his shirt, and the school called his father to pick him up from school.

According to the Grand Forks Herald, the school district's dress code prohibits clothing bearing images of weapons. Now, the school district is reportedly reviewing its dress code.

The school denied claims that Holmes was suspended for wearing the shirt, saying that he returned to class the next day. This incident was especially timely, since it comes soon after the mass shooting at an Oregon community college.

"The administration did talk with the student about the appropriateness of the image on his shirt, "Athena Vandals, communications director for the Gresham-Barlow School District, said in a statement to the Grand Forks Herald.

The Washington Post reported that Holmes' older brother served in Iraq as a Marine.

"I was just upset," Holmes said. "I was heartbroken. My brother, he means everything for me. Just being able to help and give back to the people who fought and died for us, it just makes me feel good."

The school dress code prohibits students from wearing any clothing promoting alcohol, drugs, tobacco or violence. The Washington Post reported that school administrators were unable to comment directly, but did say that an image of a gun is not appropriate in a school setting.

Holmes said that the image on his T-shirt was misunderstood by school officials, since the barrel is pointing down.

"It's total gun safety," he said.