ACLU sends letter to district about Braden River High and its treatment of student in bra controversy

The American Civil Liberties Union wants to speak with the School District of Manatee County about an incident at Braden River High School on April 2, when a dean told 17-year-old Lizzy Martinez to put on a second shirt and then cover her nipples with bandages.

Someone from the ACLU notified the district that a letter was on the way, but its contents were unknown as of Wednesday, district attorney Mitch Teitelbaum said.

"It's pretty fair that it's going to be about Braden River, the dress code, how it was enforced that day and the actions taken by the school," he said.

An ACLU spokeswoman referred questions to lawyers in New York, but they had not responded to a request for comment.

Martinez wore a baggy long-sleeve shirt and no bra on the day her nipples were deemed a distraction. A dean asked her to put on a second shirt and "move around." Unsatisfied, the dean soon handed Martinez four bandages, two to cover each nipple.

The school district later said Braden River officials should have handled the situation better. Without going into specifics, the district said corrective actions were taken to prevent another incident.

District officials also argued that Martinez was in violation of the dress code, which prohibits distracting outfits.

"The school principal or designee will be the final judge about whether your clothing is appropriate for school, creates a climate that is distracting to learning, or is a potential safety hazard," it states.

Martinez maintained that her shirt was modest. She said the problem is a lack of self control, specifically among students who choose to stare at their classmates' breasts.

"If I was looking for attention I would have worn something different," Martinez previously said. "I don't think someone looking for attention would have worn a huge, not flattering shirt."

She later held a "bracott" and encouraged students to speak out in whatever way they felt comfortable.

The demonstration was subdued, possibly because the district warned students about taking part in walkouts or protests during district-wide testing.

Teitelbaum confirmed on Wednesday that no further communications had been received by the ACLU.

This story was originally published April 24, 2018 at 10:09 PM with the headline "ACLU sends letter to district about Braden River High and its treatment of student in bra controversy."