Students hurl obscenities at parents in t-shirt case

Samantha Pawlucy's parents were met by heckling students Friday who shouted obscenities through the open windows of Charles Carroll High School.

At the same time, a lone man who identified himself as a former district teacher and administrator paced in front of the Port Richmond school with a sign supporting the sophomore student for her right to wear a Romney t-shirt to dress down day.

Pawlucy claims she was harrassed by Lynette Gaymon, her geometry teacher and humiliated for wearing the shirt Friday.

The incident has gone viral and triggered reaction from both sides. Pawlucy says she's heard about threats from current and former students and seen them on Facebook and is afraid to go to school.

Her parents, Richard and Kristine Pawlucy went to the school today to file a complaint over the incident.

They were met by district officials who told them that the students would be talked to and urged not to bother Samantha when she does return to school on Tuesday.

When they came out of the building, they stopped to talk to Richard J. Junod, who identified himself to reporters as a retired teacher and administrator with the district. He said he had served in U.S. Marine Corps.

Junod said he saw the article about Pawlucy in The Inquirer and decided to come down to the school with a green chalk board on which he had written: "We support you Samantha. . .for bravery and courage while underfire..in defense of your American freedom."

When asked why he was carrying the sign, he said, "I'm a veteran - - I put on a uniform so that you and everyone around you can express your rights."

But, while the Pawlucy parents were speaking with him they heard heckling from students who were shouting obscenities at them and Pawlucy who was not with them.

Kristine Pawlucy wondered out loud what it would be like for Samantha in the school when she returns on Tuesday. Pawlucy will be escorted by family and friends, her mother said.

"They can't even control the kids right after they told them to stop," said Kristine Pawlucy.

Contact Inquirer staff writer Jonathan Lai at jlai@philly.com or 215-854-2771 or follow on Twitter @elaijuh