Lately, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All haven't been inciting quite as much controversy and debate as they once did, but there are still plenty of folks who are offended by the Los Angeles rap collective. This much was proved by Tyrrell Middle School in Wolcott, CT, which has reportedly banned its students from wearing one of the group's shirts.
The shirt in question features the head of a cat with empty eyes and an upside-down cross on its forehead. Apparently the school wasn't so much offended by the image as by its connection to Odd Future, since principal Arline Tansley wrote an email to parents [via Republican American/NME] explaining, "[The group] is depicted by an innocent-looking kitten, but stands for something vile."
The school presumably isn't a fan of Odd Future's allegedly violent and homophobic lyrics. In 2012, the collective's Hodgy Beats responded to these allegations in an Exclaim! interview, claiming that they are just joking.
NBC notes that another school in Wolcott recently attempted to ban a student from wearing a shirt with an anti-gay message. The school district posted a statement on its website last month explaining, "The Wolcott Public Schools believes in and supports the First Amendment rights of students, in accordance with both court decisions and the policies of the Wolcott Board of Education. The Wolcott Public Schools has always and will continue to allow students their rights of free expression, so long as all students exercise their rights without creating a substantial disruption to the educational environment for all students."
The shirt in question features the head of a cat with empty eyes and an upside-down cross on its forehead. Apparently the school wasn't so much offended by the image as by its connection to Odd Future, since principal Arline Tansley wrote an email to parents [via Republican American/NME] explaining, "[The group] is depicted by an innocent-looking kitten, but stands for something vile."
The school presumably isn't a fan of Odd Future's allegedly violent and homophobic lyrics. In 2012, the collective's Hodgy Beats responded to these allegations in an Exclaim! interview, claiming that they are just joking.
NBC notes that another school in Wolcott recently attempted to ban a student from wearing a shirt with an anti-gay message. The school district posted a statement on its website last month explaining, "The Wolcott Public Schools believes in and supports the First Amendment rights of students, in accordance with both court decisions and the policies of the Wolcott Board of Education. The Wolcott Public Schools has always and will continue to allow students their rights of free expression, so long as all students exercise their rights without creating a substantial disruption to the educational environment for all students."
