8th Grader Jailed Over NRA Shirt

Jared Marcum, 14, arrested after dispute over gun on shirt
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 21, 2013 11:38 AM CDT
8th Grader Jailed Over NRA Shirt
Jared Marcum wears his NRA shirt in a WOWK-TV report.   (WOWK-TV)

Jared Marcum showed up at his West Virginia middle school Thursday wearing an NRA shirt with a picture of a hunting rifle on it, and ended up getting arrested over it. He and a teacher argued over the shirt, and the 8th grader was eventually suspended, arrested, and now finds himself facing charges of obstruction and disturbing the education process, WOWK-TV reports. The 14-year-old's dad says school policy doesn't forbid images of guns on T-shirts; the dress code does prohibit clothing displaying "violence," but gun images are not listed specifically.

"He did not violate any school policy," Jared's dad says. "He did not become aggressive." The story has gotten Jared quite a bit of support, the student says: "People are saying that I did the right thing, that they're proud." Marcum's lawyer is working to get the charges dropped, and the family may file a federal or civil lawsuit, WOWK reports. (More Jared Marcum stories.)

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