A teacher from Alabama claims that the principal sent her home because she came to school wearing a shirt with the slogan "Just Pray" on the front.
In a now-deleted post on Facebook, Chris Burrell, of Mobile County Public School District, claimed the principal told her to go home and change her shirt or wear a sweater over it.
Burrell said she went to school on Monday morning without meaning to pick a shirt that would spark a religious issue. The T-shirt was part of a fundraiser for a local 11-year-old girl, Aubreigh Nicholas, who has been battling with an inoperable brain condition. A group called Aubreigh's Army distributed the shirts to help fund the girls' medical expenses.
"I didn't think twice about it," Burrell reportedly wrote. "I wasn't trying to promote religion, it was just my Monday feel-good shirt."
Martha Peek, the school district superintendent, told reporters that the school's principal was simply following the dress code policy that students and staff must abide by as the "Just Pray" shirt could reflect religious beliefs.
"So at the point of looking and seeing 'pray' on it, the principal said, 'can you put on a sweater or something,' knowing that there are other people who object to that," Peek said. "We have to be cognizant of everyone's beliefs or everyone's thoughts in a public school," Peek added.
The superintendent said that the school was still supportive of 11-year-old Aubreigh's fight and said the incident with Burrell was an "unfortunate connection."
Despite the school's response to the t-shirt, Burrell will not be subject to any disciplinary action.
