Philly Teen Mocked for Wearing Romney/Ryan T-Shirt

A Philadelphia teen says her school’s uniform-free dress down day turned into harassment when she was ridiculed by a teacher for wearing a Romney/Ryan T-shirt.

 

Sophomore Samantha Pawlucy, who attends Charles Carroll High School in the Port Richmond neighborhood, told the Philadelphia Inquirer Wednesday that her geometry teacher humiliated her by asking why she was wearing the Republican shirt in a "Democratic school."

 

Pawlucy also said the teacher, a black woman, told her that wearing the GOP shirt was akin to the teacher wearing a logo shirt in support of the Ku Klux Klan. She said the teacher also went into the hallway outside her classroom and urged other teachers and students to mock her.
 

"I was really embarrassed and shocked. I didn't think she'd go in the hallway and scream to everyone," Pawlucy said. "It wasn't scary, but it felt weird."

 

Pawlucy said she decided to support Romney after researching both presidential candidates. Her father, Richard Pawlucy, told the Inquirer his daughter is very interested in Romney’s opposition to late-term abortion.

 

Pawlucy's parents have complained to the school district about the teacher's behavior and district spokesman, Fernando Gallard, said officials are investigating. He added that the student had every right to wear the T-shirt proclaiming her choice for president.

 

Pawlucy said she tried to brush off the teacher's actions at first, but now feels shunned by classmates and friends because she reported the incident.  

 

As a result, Pawlucy's class schedule has been changed so that she no longer has the teacher who made fun of her. The teacher, meanwhile, is still teaching, pending the outcome of the investigation.