Censoring Of Wall Teen's Trump T-Shirt In Yearbook Under Investigation

WALL, NJ — Wall Township school district administrators are looking into complaints from three students that their pro-Trump sentiments were censored from the high school yearbook, the superintendent said Friday afternoon.

Cheryl Dyer, the superintendent, confirmed there are three issues she and her staff are trying to get answers about: the Photoshopping of a T-shirt, the cropping of a second shirt and the removal of a quote under a student's photo.

"It was not done under the direction of the administration," Dyer said by phone late Friday afternoon. "We are very disturbed by it. We are investigating how the decision was made and by whom."

Dyer did not name the students affected. A report on NJ.com said juniors Grant Berardo and Wyatt Dobrovich-Fago had their shirts altered, and Wyatt's sister, Montana, had her quote removed.

Grant Berardo told the Asbury Park Press that he wore a shirt like the one pictured above, emblazoned with TRUMP Make America Great Again, for the school's picture day and that when he opened the yearbook, it looked as though he was dressed in a plain black T-shirt.

Janet Dobrovich-Fago told NJ.com her son's shirt was Photoshopped as well.

Dyer said the Photoshopping of Berardo's shirt is indisputable, and she has not received an answer yet as to why the quote from Montana Dobrovich-Fago, who is president of the freshman class, was omitted. She said the issue with Wyatt Dobrovich-Fago's shirt is a little bit murky as the Trump logo was toward the pocket area of the shirt.

"That appears to be a cropping issue," Dyer said. "When you're talking about the underclass photos they are small, and when things are reduced in size" cropping can become an issue."

"We are still trying to get to the bottom of it," Dyer said.

Dyer said there was no issue of a dress code violation.

"There's nothing in the school policy that prohibits supporting a political candidate," Dyer said. The only prohibition is on shirts or other articles of clothing that promote illegal activity, such as drug use, alcohol or weapons, she said.

There was "no direction from the administration at the building or from the central office" to delete political references, she said.

"We put in a whole section from the publisher about the year in the news, and because of the election there's a lot of references to Trump," she said.

A call to Josten's, the company that produces the yearbook, was not immediately returned.

Joseph Berardo, Grant's father, told NJ.com he wants to see the yearbooks reissued with a corrected photo. And he wants an apology to his son.

"When we saw that Wyatt's shirt was photoshopped and we heard about Grant, I knew this was not a coincidence. This was purposeful and it's wrong," Janet Dobrovich-Fago said.

Attempts to locate phone numbers or contact information for Joseph Berardo and Janet Dobrovich-Fago were not successful.

Dyer said she is investigating what can be done to rectify the situation, which she called totally unacceptable.

"I would never encourage censorship of someone's political views," she said.

Dyer said the following letter, which she released to media outlets, was sent to all parents in the district:

"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.

Regards,
Cheryl Dyer
Superintenden