The Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Liam Morrison, a Massachusetts middle school student who was twice sent home for wearing T-shirts stating “There are only two genders.” His family, supported by the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Massachusetts Family Institute, argued that the school violated his First Amendment rights.
Liam, then a seventh grader, wore the shirts to Nichols Middle School in 2023. After refusing to remove them, he was sent home both times. One shirt said, “There are [censored] genders,” with tape covering part of the original message. School officials said the shirts caused discomfort among some students, a stance that lower courts upheld.
In June 2024, the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the school acted within its authority to prevent what it deemed a potentially disruptive message. The Supreme Court’s decision this week lets that ruling stand.
In a 2023 interview, Liam emphasized that his message was not meant to target anyone, saying, “I’m just voicing my opinion about a statement that I believe to be true.”
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, expressing concern over the implications for student speech and viewpoint tolerance in public schools.
While the case has concluded legally, it continues to raise important questions for parents and educators alike—about how schools handle differing beliefs, and how young people learn to express themselves respectfully in an increasingly divided culture.