A t-shirt honoring a fallen Iraq veteran, to boot.

LANCASTER, Pa. - The family of a middle school student who was given detention for wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of a gun has filed a federal freedom of speech lawsuit against the school district.

Donald Miller III, 14, went to Penn Manor High School in December wearing a T-shirt he said was intended to honor his uncle, a U.S. Army soldier fighting in Iraq.

The shirt bears the image of a military sidearm and on the front pocket says “Volunteer Homeland Security.” On the back, over another image of the weapon, are the words “Special issue Resident Lifetime License — United States Terrorist Hunting Permit — Permit No. 91101 — Gun Owner — No Bag Limit.”

Officials at the Millersville school told him to turn his shirt inside out. When Miller refused, he got two days of detention.

Things get a little absurd when the school explains its thinking on banning the t-shirt.

...an attorney for the school district said school must create a safe environment for students in the post-Columbine era, and bringing even the image of a gun to school violates the district’s policy.

“There’s a much higher level of sensitivity these days,” Penn Manor attorney Kevin French said. “But it’s based on reality.”

Even the image of a gun violates school policy.  Apparently students are supposed to pretend as though guns don’t exist.  In order to, you know, keep them safe.

I’m not sure I’m on board with a freedom of speech lawsuit in this instance, though.  Certainly this is a stupid policy, but the Supreme Court has long upheld time and place restrictions on free speech, and I think we can all agree that the 1st amendment doesn’t necessarily mean you can wear whatever you want to school.