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Tulalip Tribes support ban on t-shirts deemed to be disruptive

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Students at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington. Photo from Marysville/Tulalip Recovery

The Tulalip Tribes of Washington are supporting efforts to keep students at local high school from wearing disruptive clothing items.

A few students at Marysville-Pilchuck High School were seen wearing "Team Jaylen" t-shirts last month. The shirts presumably refer to Jaylen Fryberg, a young tribal member who shot and killed four of his classmates and injured another before turning the gun on himself.

The students were asked to remove the shirts and the school has said it will continue to do so if the situation arises in the future. Chairman Mel Sheldon supports the effort.

"This attire creates an environment that is harmful to other students who are trying to heal and recover from the tragedy and the tribe would like to support the school district on banning all t-shirts, bandanas and/or any other clothing or collateral items that support Jaylen Fryberg and the actions he took on October 24, 2014," wrote in a letter that was posted by The Tulalip News.

Jaylen's father, Raymond Lee Fryberg Jr., has been charged in federal court with a firearms charge. Authorities say he illegally acquired five guns, including the one that was used in the shooting last October.

Get the Story:
'Team Jaylen' shirts seen at Marysville-Pilchuck High School (KING 5 News 5/4)
Controversial ‘Team Jaylen’ T-shirts worn by some Marysville-Pilchuck H.S. students reopen old wounds (Q13 Fox News 5/4)
'Team Jaylen' shirts banned for supporting deadly school shooter (WPXI 5/4)
Tulalip Tribe: We support ban on 'Team Jaylen' shirts at MPHS (KOMO 5/4)