'Jesus is not a homophobe' T-shirt leads to school lawsuit by Maverick Couch in Waynesville, Ohio

An openly gay high school junior prohibited from wearing a shirt that states "Jesus is not a homophobe" is suing the school.
Photographer: WLWT, NBC NewsChannel
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Posted: 04/04/2012

By: Karin Johnson, WLWT

At the center of a new lawsuit filed in federal court from Waynesville, Ohio is a t-shirt worn by openly gay 17-year-old Maverick Couch.

Last year, Couch said he was wearing the shirt at his high school when he was asked to remove the shirt he wore in support of National Day of Silence.

National Day of Silence is an event which was to bring attention to the bullying of gay and lesbian students.

The t-shirt reads "Jesus is not a homophobe."

Couch said he asked for permission to wear the shirt again but was repeatedly denied.

The LAMBDA legal organization helped Couch file the lawsuit against the school.

The superintendent said there is a general district rule that prohibits students from wearing anything that is sexual in nature, but Couch had a hard time believing that his shirt relates to this rule.

"I don't know how they can see it is sexual other than it has something to do with sexual orientation," said Couch.