HOOVER, Alabama -- The principal at Hoover High School today released a statement, saying the school allows students to exercise their First Amendment rights "unless such expression disrupts the learning environment or deprives the rights of others."

The statement came in response to a letter from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which informed Hoover school officials this morning that the group would file a federal lawsuit if the school does not stop censoring students. The issue at hand involves a 15-year-old student who the Southern Poverty Law Center says was told by the school that she could no longer wear a T-shirt that read, "Gay? fine by me."

Hoover High Principal Don Hulin issued the following written statement:

"At Hoover High School, we have a tradition and practice of respecting the rights of students to exercise all of their Constitutional entitlements. We are fortunate to have a diversified student body and we work very diligently to encourage a culture of tolerance and understanding. In the tradition of the United States Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, students at Hoover High School exercise their First Amendment rights without restriction unless such expression disrupts the learning environment or deprives the rights of others."

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, school officials told the girl who wore the T-shirt, Sara Couvillon, that they were concerned for her safety, but Couvillon said she did not experience threats of violence, nor did school officials confirm there had been threats. Couvillon had routinely worn the T-shirt during the previous school year without incident, the Montgomery-based group said.

The group said it would file a lawsuit if the school did not rescind its practice of censorship by Sept. 12.