BEVERLY — Elementary school students who wore "Yes" T-shirts to school yesterday were instructed to turn them inside out to avoid breaking election laws.
Superintendent James Hayes said the students were given that order after a poll worker at Cove Elementary School told school officials that the T-shirts violated a law prohibiting campaign material within 150 feet of a polling place.
"I talked to the principal (Karla Pressman) and decided the best thing was for the kids to turn it inside out and use it as a teachable moment," Hayes said. "To some people it may seem minor and inconsequential, but in reality there's a law."
Hayes said an e-mail was sent to the principals at the four other schools used as polling places — McKeown, Centerville, North Beverly and Ayers Ryal Side — telling them of the inside-out T-shirt policy.
A spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office, which oversees election law, said the T-shirts would fall under the law prohibiting campaign material at polling places as long as people generally understood that the shirts were encouraging people to vote for the override.
Voters shook their heads, but agreed the shirts had no place at the poll.
"It's hard for kids ... because they don't understand the ramifications," said John Dowd, who voted for the override. "It's more a political statement from their parents. They're using their child as a billboard."
Erin Lipkowitz, who also supported the override, said it was probably something that was overlooked.
"Maybe it should have been talked about ahead of time," she said.
Tracey Armstrong, the co-leader of the Yes! for Beverly group, also encountered problems at Cove School due to her "Yes" shirt. Poll worker Carl Macdonald said Armstrong was told she could not vote while wearing the T-shirt.
Armstrong refused to comment.
