Students ordered to remove T-shirt bearing American flag sue California school district

Suit filed over Calif. school clothing flap

MORGAN HILL, Calif. — Three students at a California high school who were ordered to remove clothing with the American flag on Cinco de Mayo are suing the school district.

The civil rights suit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for Northern California. The suit claims school officials at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill violated the students’ rights to freedom of speech, due process and equal protection.

The students say school officials told them to remove their T-shirts or turn them inside out on May 5 because they were inappropriate on Cinco de Mayo. Students with Mexican flags and clothing with pro-Mexican messages, meanwhile, were not asked to do the same.

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

A district spokeswoman said she had not received notice of the suit and could not comment.