LITTLESTOWN, Pa. — Jeremy Gebhart, 16, is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and claims his MAGA hat was blurred out of his high school yearbook.
"I just think he wants to help our country and I think he is," Gebhart told WPMT.
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He and his friend decided to show their support for the president during Littlestown High School's spirit week in October. Their photo landed a spot in the yearbook, but the MAGA hats were digitally edited. The hats embroidered with "Trump: Make America Great Again" were Photoshopped out.
"I was like, 'Wow, do you see this?" said Gebhart.
His mother, Lorraine, was at a loss for words. "I was infuriated because he wears that hat because he supports our president. He's not doing anything illegal whatsoever, he's wearing a hat of support."
Gebhardt said he feels his rights have been taken away. "Everybody has a First Amendment right to have freedom of speech and they're allowed to think what they want, say what they want but they're not able to take it away from other people."
"It's very upsetting. Someone did this on purpose to blur out that Trump logo and make their own statement," said his mother.
WPMT reached out to the Littlestown School District. The superintendent wrote back, "The mistake was not noticed during the editorial preview process prior to print. We apologize on behalf of the yearbook club. It is not the policy or practice of the district to improperly censor speech."
The Gebharts said they have a message for whoever was behind the decision. "It is OK to disagree with peoples' views but what's not OK is taking your freedom of speech and using it to take away someone else's," said Lorraine. "You did not silence us."