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NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NY) - A teacher in New Jersey has reportedly been suspended after allowing a student's yearbook photo to be blacked out because his T-shirt said the "Trump - Make America Great Again."
Wall Township High School junior Grant Berardo said he wore his Trump shirt on yearbook photo day. Berardo's image proofs had the logo still present and his school ID had it too. But, when he got his yearbook, the Trump logo on his T-shirt was censored.
Berardo said another student's Trump logo was blacked-out and a third student had a quotation by President Trump removed from her photo.
"He wanted to memorialize the times as part of his yearbook," Joseph Berardo, Grant's father, told FOX 5 NY morning program, 'Good Day New York.'
School superintendent Cheryl Dyer told families in a letter that her office is investigating:
Dear parents,
I want to make you aware that I am investigating an allegation of censorship and the possible violation of First Amendment rights in the high school yearbook this year. Two parents have made me aware of ways in which the attire of their children was altered and that comments or quotes were not published. In all of the instances that I am aware of, references to and support of President Trump were removed.
There is nothing in our student dress code that would prevent a student from expressing his or her political views and support for a candidate for political office via appropriate clothing. Rather, I applaud students for becoming involved in politics and for participation in our democratic society. The high school administration was not aware of and does not condone any censorship of political views on the part of our students. This includes statements that they might make or clothing with references to candidates for public office that they might wear. Our dress code does prohibit references to illegal activity such as use of drugs, alcohol or weapons.
The actions of the staff involved will be addressed as soon as the investigation is concluded.
Thank you for your concern and for your support.
"His response to this was very funny. He was struggling with his college essays. He says 'I actually now have a lot of material," said Joseph Berardo.