East Valley high school students reprimanded for wearing 'MAGA' attire

GILBERT, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- Controversy is brewing in Gilbert after students at Perry High School say they were unfairly targeted by administrators because they showed up to school wearing "Make America Great" again attire.

They tell us it was all part of Spirit Week at the school and the last day of the week was "Party in the USA" day, a theme to celebrate our country. A group of students wore the attire to participate, but their choice of clothing didn't sit well with the Perry staff and officers.

Several students say when the showed up to school wearing their "MAGA" hats and shirts, they were reprimanded by the school and asked to take them off. The students refused.

"As we were taking pictures, [a] police officer approached us and [said], 'We are asking you to leave the campus right now,'" said freshman Logan James, who got suspended. Her suspension upset a few parents.

"I'm infuriated," said Jennifer Farris, a Perry high parent. "I feel like they don't support our president and they are inflicting those thoughts on our kids."

The reaction surrounding the controversy was mixed. Some students say they didn't care and they just ignored the Trump gear. However, one student spoke to us and said it did make him feel uncomfortable.

And while these parents and students say they were being treated unfairly, others we talked to talk agree with the school's stance.

"I feel like politics, they shouldn't be expressed at school, especially at a public school [like] Perry," student said.

To be fair, those students who wore the MAGA gear were not notified that they couldn't wear any Trump gear. A dance at the high school was held on March 2, and parents were notified that students were not allowed to wear any MAGA attire.

When we reached out to the Chandler Unified School District, the spokesperson confirmed one of the students, Logan James, was suspended, but for a different reason. She told us she does plan to apologize to the school's staff for being defiant.

The principal of Perry High School, Dan Serrano, issued the following statement: