I Heart Boobies

Breast cancer awareness is something one sees themself surrounded with every day. More and more types of candies, foods, clothing, etc. are gaining a pink ribbon to place with their label. Now, there is something new sweeping across schools. They are called I Heart Boobies! (Keep A Breast) rubber bracelets. They come in multiple colors and styles, and are sold by many different companies. More and more students everywhere are paying the cheap price to buy a supporting bracelet to wear to school, and more and more each day kids are being thrown into detention for the harmless bracelets.

For example, I have a family friend who was cleaning the principal's office of a school near mine, and sitting on the desk she saw a collection of the bracelets, each bearing an individual sticky note. On those sticky notes were the names of the children the bracelets were confiscated from. When parents and teachers learned about this, my friend said that some were outraged, some were joyful, and some felt that the bracelets should only be taken from male students.

It all leaves myself, as a student, a bit disappointed in educational systems across the globe. Firstly, not only female students should be allowed to wear the bracelets, seeing as men can get the disease as well. Secondly, it [the “I Heart Boobies!” part of the bracelet] is not affiliated with sexual content, as in someone liking breasts for being, well, breasts. They are affiliated with cancer, which no student should be denied the right to hope for a cause. Thirdly, the bracelets have nothing to do with violence, drugs, alcohol, or gangs. They are simply bracelets.

I understand that there are those students that tend to be very childish and immature, and if they act so with the bracelets, only then do I think the bracelets should be taken and the student should be punished. However, I feel wearing the bracelets and doing no harm with them, and teachers taking the bracelets, is ridiculous.

Students, now, are taking a stand, and some districts are being sued for taking away students' First Amendment Rights.

For example, a 12 year-old girl in Philadelphia wore hers on Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and was suspended when she refused to take it off. Now, the school district is facing a lawsuit for the ban of the bracelets.

All-in-all, the removal of the bracelets from schools, and denying students their rights to stand up for a cause, is just as bad as taking away their voices, thoughts, and opinions, and it should not be allowed.

Source

Students' "Boobie" Bracelets Prompt Lawsuit
District Bans "I Heart Boobies" Bracelets, May Be Sued