BRIGHTON, CO-November 18, 2008 – Friday, a group of students at Brighton High School were asked by high school administrators to remove Grenade stickers from their cars or face serious disciplinary action. But they fought back.

Kathy Gustad, an English and Journalism Teacher and head of the school newspaper at Brighton High School says several students were called into the school Vice Principal’s office on Friday and told to remove the Grenade stickers from their cars, because they were allegedly offensive and a symbol of terrorism. Ms. Gustad says the students explained that the grenades are simply logos for snowboard/ski gear company Grenade Gloves, and that even a number of teachers sport the stickers, but the kids were still ordered them to remove them.

After the incident, Ms. Gustad and the students contacted the Student Press Law Center, an organization which provides free legal assistance to students on free speech issues. Ms. Gustad says the SPLC encouraged them to fight the sticker ban.

On Monday, the students went back into the office to declare that they would not be removing the stickers. Students say they were told that they would be ticketed if they parked on school grounds, and could also face more serious disciplinary action. Tuesday the students obeyed by parking their cars off school grounds, but did not remove the stickers. The students are also running extensive coverage of the story in their school paper.

Late Tuesday afternoon, school administrators changed their minds, and decided to allow Grenade stickers at school. The school district spokesperson, Allison Lockwood told Fox-31 News, “This is what they teach the kids to do-to speak up if they think something is not fair, and they did that, and it had an impact on the decision.”

Danny Kass is sending a large box of stickers to the students to congratulate them on their efforts. Kass told reporters Tuesday night, “I’m really proud of those kids and fans who stuck up for it, and stuck up for their rights and made it acceptable.”

– Hilary Hutcheson

Fight the power – sticker the world.