A federal appeals court has ruled that public schools may ban students from wearing clothing with the political slogan “Let’s Go Brandon,” siding with school administrators who claim the phrase is equivalent to profanity. The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the 2–1 decision, asserting that the phrase falls outside First Amendment protection within school settings.
The case arose from a Michigan school district where two middle school students were told to remove sweatshirts bearing the “Let’s Go Brandon” slogan in 2022. School officials claimed the clothing violated dress code policies that prohibit vulgar or disruptive messages. While the slogan itself does not contain profanity, the court concluded it is widely understood to mean “F*** Joe Biden,” and could therefore be restricted in schools.
Judge John Nalbandian, writing for the majority, stated that school administrators are not bound to allow euphemistic profanity, even when presented as political speech. The court compared the phrase to other expressions schools have long had authority to regulate. The ruling emphasized that students’ rights to free expression are limited in public schools, especially when school officials determine that certain speech may cause disruption or violate standards of decorum.
In dissent, Judge John Bush argued that the phrase constitutes political expression—not obscene speech—and that banning it sets a dangerous precedent. Bush warned that restricting euphemistic political speech could open the door for selective enforcement against students expressing disfavored viewpoints.
This ruling highlights growing concerns over viewpoint discrimination and political suppression in schools.
