Boy Made To Remove CNN Fake News T-Shirt On School Trip To CNN — Dad Hops Online To Right That Wrong?

A seventh-grade student was told by his teacher that he needed to remove the T-shirt he was wearing that sported a mocking logo before heading out on their field trip to the CNN studios. The T-shirt, which was designed to look similar to the CNN logo, said FNN, and underneath it offered the words, “Fake News Network.”

Now the parents of this Dekalb County, Georgia, student are under fire for allowing the kid to wear the shirt while knowing he was going to CNN on this field trip. The boy’s parents seem very involved in local politics as the mother, Nancy Jester, is a county commissioner and the boy’s dad, Stan Jester, is a member of the local school board. So people commenting on this story today are asking — is this their thoughts on CNN or is it how their son feels?

The parents claim the choice of their son’s T-shirt that day was totally his. The kid wanted to wear it and he did. They didn’t stop him because, according to them, it is his right under the First Amendment. They believed the school violated their son’s First Amendment rights by asking him to remove his shirt, according to Fox News.

After voicing their thoughts on their son Jaxon’s rights, the school issued an apology to the parents, but the Jester couple wants that apology to go to their son, not them. Jaxon’s dad Stan Jester addressed this in a blog post.

“This year when the CNN tour was announced, my 7th-grade son Jaxon asked me if he could purchase an FNN-Fake News Network shirt to wear for his field trip. As an advocate for the First Amendment, I agreed to his request.”

The father also conveyed that he didn’t take his request lightly and informed his son that by wearing this shirt he could open himself up to controversy. The dad then wrote that Jaxon was “fully aware of the implications of his decision and made the affirmative choice to wear his shirt.”

Despite knowing that his son’s choice could ruffle some feathers, the father said he was disappointed when his son was made to take the shirt off. Stan Jester then made a statement on his feelings on the subject.

“Some students are celebrated when they make a controversial display during the National Anthem. My student was forced to remove his shirt because someone didn’t like it. I defend speech and expression, even if I disagree, or it makes me uncomfortable.”

Some of the folks who commented on this Fox News article suggested that the parents were using the son to make their own political statement. Some of the comments were harsh, as one comment conveyed, “You know when you are a good parent if you try to use your 6th-grade son as a political tool.” Another person said, “Parents purchase the child clothes force their political view on the kid is child abuse.”

A few folks gave kudos to the parents and others suggested it wasn’t about a statement, but about where he chooses to make that statement. Respect is an important virtue to teach your kids and mocking the host of your class trip isn’t seen as showing much respect, according to some of the comments. As one commenter suggested, “respect is more important.” Another commenter suggested, “So, teach them to disrespect those who invite them into their home?”

Some who agree that CNN deserves the “Fake News” title still do not believe the boy should have worn the shirt. One commenter added, “I am a conservative, I voted for Trump and I believe CNN is FNN, but it’s inappropriate for the kid to wear the shirt on this trip! The teacher did the right thing.”

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