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Massachusetts middle schooler banned from wearing ‘only two genders’ shirt loses federal appeals case

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Massachusetts middle schooler banned from wearing ‘only two genders’ shirt loses federal appeals case


The local middle schooler who was barred from wearing an “only two genders” shirt to school has lost his federal appeals case, as his attorneys consider a Supreme Court appeal.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston has ruled against Middleboro student Liam Morrison in the high-profile First Amendment case.

Liam, now in 8th grade, last year was banned by school officials from wearing a shirt to school that read, “There are only two genders.” The 7th grader then wore a shirt that stated, “There are censored genders,” and again, he was ordered to take off the shirt.

A U.S. district judge previously ruled in favor of the Middleboro school officials, and the appeals court over the weekend affirmed the district court’s ruling.

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“This case is about much more than a t-shirt,” a lawyer for the Massachusetts Family Institute said in response to the appeals court ruling. “The court’s decision is not only a threat to the free speech rights of public school students across the country, but a threat to basic biological truths.”

“While we are disappointed in this decision, we aren’t done fighting yet,” the attorney Sam Whiting added. “Along with our partners at Alliance Defending Freedom, we are reviewing all legal options, including appealing to the United States Supreme Court.”

The Middleboro school district each year celebrates Pride month, hanging Pride flags and sending the message that there are “an unlimited number of genders,” one of Liam’s lawyers had argued in front of the appeals court.

In response to the school’s view, Liam wore the controversial shirt to Nichols Middle School last year.

School officials in response to the shirt told Liam to either take off the shirt or leave school for the day. Liam chose to miss the rest of his classes that day.

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When the Middleboro principal pulled Liam out of class and told him he had to take off his shirt, the principal said they had received complaints about the words on his shirt — and that the words might make some students feel unsafe.

“Middleborough was enforcing a dress code, so it was making a forecast regarding the disruptive impact of a particular means of expression and not of, say, a stray remark on a playground, a point made during discussion or debate, or a classroom inquiry,” the appeals court ruling reads. “The forecast concerned the predicted impact of a message that would confront any student proximate to it throughout the school day.”

School officials “knew the serious nature of the struggles, including suicidal ideation, that some of those students had experienced related to their treatment based on their gender identities by other students, and the effect those struggles could have on those students’ ability to learn.” the appeals court wrote.

“We think it was reasonable for Middleborough to forecast that a message displayed throughout the school day denying the existence of the gender identities of transgender and gender non-conforming students would have a serious negative impact on those students’ ability to concentrate on their classroom work,” the court added.

The court decision will allow schools to silence dissent, according to the Massachusetts Family Institute.

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Whiting added, “Although there was no evidence that Liam’s message caused a disruption at school, the court held that the possibility that some students might suffer psychological distress from his shirt was enough to justify censoring him.”



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Massachusetts High School Football 2025 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (MIAA) – November 2, 2025

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Massachusetts High School Football 2025 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (MIAA) – November 2, 2025


The 2025 Massachusetts high school football playoffs begin on Friday, November 7, and go into Saturday, November 8, with 64 games in the round of 16.

High School On SI has brackets division in the Massachusetts high school playoffs.

Round of 16

No. 1 Nashoba Valley Tech vs. No. 16 Sabis International – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 8 Frontier Regional vs. No. 9 KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 4 Randolph vs. No. 13 Oxford – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 5 Hoosac Valley vs. No. 12 Blackstone-Millville – 11/08 at 12:00 p.m.

No. 2 Lee vs. No. 15 Narragansett Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 7 Cathedral vs. No. 10 Prouty – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 3 West Boylston vs. No. 14 Bartlett – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 6 Bourne vs. No. 11 Lynn Vo-Tech – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 Cohasset vs. No. 16 Leicester – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 8 Rockland vs. No. 9 Tyngsborough – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 4 Northbridge vs. No. 13 Seekonk – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 5 Manchester Essex vs. No. 12 Millbury – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 2 Amesbury vs. No. 15 South Hadley – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 7 Uxbridge vs. No. 10 Blue Hills RVT – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 3 West Bridgewater vs. No. 14 St. Bernard’s Central Catholic – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 6 Clinton vs. No. 11 Mashpee – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 Norwell vs. No. 16 Case – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 8 Pentucket Regional vs. No. 9 Nantucket – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 4 Wilmington vs. No. 13 Old Rochester Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 5 Hudson vs. No. 12 Bellingham – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 2 Abington vs. No. 15 Triton Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 7 Bishop Fenwick vs. No. 10 Medway – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 3 Fairhaven vs. No. 14 East Bridgewater – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 6 Stoneham vs. No. 11 Winthrop – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 Shawsheen Valley Tech vs. No. 16 Salem – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 8 St. Mary’s vs. No. 9 Greater Lawrence Tech – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 4 Medfield vs. No. 13 Northeast Metro RVT – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 5 North Reading vs. No. 12 Marlborough – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 2 Foxborough vs. No. 15 Norton – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 7 Gloucester vs. No. 10 Auburn – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 3 Hanover vs. No. 14 Weston – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 6 Archbishop Williams vs. No. 11 Swampscott – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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Round of 16

No. 1 Scituate vs. No. 16 Tantasqua Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 8 Bedford vs. No. 9 Walpole – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 4 Duxbury vs. No. 13 Holliston – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 5 Burlington vs. No. 12 Dartmouth – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 2 Tewksbury Memorial vs. No. 15 Middleborough – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 7 Ashland vs. No. 10 Danvers – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 3 Canton vs. No. 14 Wakefield Memorial – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 6 Marblehead vs. No. 11 Shepherd Hill Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 King Philip Regional vs. No. 16 Chicopee Comp – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 8 Mansfield vs. No. 9 Plymouth South – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 4 Hingham vs. No. 13 Minnechaug Regional – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 5 Marshfield vs. No. 12 Malden Catholic – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 2 Barnstable vs. No. 15 Doherty Memorial – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 7 North Attleborough vs. No. 10 Milford – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 3 Milton vs. No. 14 Reading Memorial – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 6 Masconomet Regional vs. No. 11 Melrose – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 Catholic Memorial — BYE

No. 8 Wellesley vs. No. 9 Plymouth North – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 4 Winchester vs. No. 13 North Quincy – 11/07 at 6:30 p.m.

No. 5 Lincoln-Sudbury vs. No. 12 Concord-Carlisle – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

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No. 2 Bishop Feehan — BYE

No. 7 Quincy vs. No. 10 Chelmsford – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 3 Bridgewater-Raynham vs. No. 14 Woburn Memorial – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 6 Billerica Memorial vs. No. 11 Beverly – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

Round of 16

No. 1 St. John’s Prep vs. No. 16 Framingham – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 8 Leominster vs. No. 9 Franklin – 11/07 at 7:00 p.m.

No. 4 Natick vs. No. 13 Weymouth – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 5 Central Catholic vs. No. 12 St. John’s – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 2 Central vs. No. 15 Taunton – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 7 Methuen vs. No. 10 Lowell – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

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No. 3 Xaverian Brothers vs. No. 14 Brockton – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.

No. 6 Wachusett Regional vs. No. 11 Andover – 11/07 at 6:00 p.m.



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Seven high school sports takeaways from the final day of the MIAA football regular season – The Boston Globe

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Seven high school sports takeaways from the final day of the MIAA football regular season – The Boston Globe


Find all the scores here. Final football conference standings live here. We also have final boys’ and girls’ soccer standings. Today’s headlines:

▪ It was the biggest win of the day, and a monumental one for St. John’s Prep coach Brian St. Pierre, who notched his 100th career win with a 43-28 defeat of No. 3 Catholic Memorial. St. Pierre is in his 12th season at the helm of his alma mater, where he was named Gatorade Player of the Year and quarterbacked the Eagles to a 1997 Super Bowl title before going on to play at Boston College and earn a fifth-round draft selection to the NFL, where he played for four teams in an eight-year career.

He is the third coach in Prep history to reach 100 wins, joining Fred Glatz and Jim O’Leary.

▪ Andover senior Naomi Vajda recorded her 100th career block among three rejections in a 3-0 Division 1 first-round girls’ volleyball win over Boston Latin. Vajda added six kills and four aces.

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▪ Despite an 0-5 start, Brockton rallied to win the Big Three Conference with a 23-0 blanking of Durfee, which came a week after they destroyed New Bedford, 41-0. Casey Rhodes, Marcio Semedo, and Jarred Mighty scored Saturday as the Boxers (3-5, 2-0) also punched their ticket to the Division 1 tournament.

▪ With a 31-28 win over Loomis Chaffee, Avon Old Farms (Conn.) wrapped up an undefeated season (8-0) and captured the Founders League title.

▪ Nobles boys’ soccer defeated Brooks, 3-1, to secure the Independent School League crown.

▪ Minuteman boys’ soccer dispensed with McCann Tech, 5-1, to win the State Vocational Small School championship. The Greater New Bedford boys defeated Greater Lowell, 3-0, for the Large School title.

Ellis Barnes, BB&N — The senior defensive back, who is committed to Columbia, came up big for the Knights in a 17-7 NEPSAC win over St. Paul’s (N.H.), picking off two passes and making seven tackles.

Peter Bourque, Tabor — A regular in this space, the Michigan-bound quarterback showed off his legwork in the second half, rushing for three touchdowns in a come-from-behind 39-21 NEPSAC win over St. Sebastian’s. The junior QB finished with 232 passing yards and five total touchdowns.

Andrew Kiricoples, Bishop Fenwick — The sophomore threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for a third score in a 34-6 Catholic Central League road win.

Elai Machado, KIPP — The 6-foot-4-inch junior quarterback ran for touchdowns of 15, 45, and 40 yards, and tossed a 20-yard scoring strike for the Panthers in a 41-6 Commonwealth Conference win over Lowell Catholic.

Jalen Morris, Rivers — The biggest rushing performance of the day belonged to the junior, who took 23 carries for 259 yards and four scores in a 47-6 NEPSAC win over Governor’s.

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Brady Shuffain, Sharon — The junior had himself a day, throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-6 win over Fitchburg that featured several big performances, including Matt Khrakovsky’s 207 rushing yards and three scores and Joseph Seaman’s 119 receiving yards and two TDs.

Jake Strojny, Roxbury Latin — The senior quarterback combined three passing TDs with one on the ground to beat St. George’s, 30-0, in NEPSAC action.

Here’s betting Classical (R.I.) senior Bam Adebayo had quite the interesting Saturday morning.

The 6-foot, 160-pound cornerback/safety posted that he got his first preferred walk-on offer from URI. No doubt a big moment. A chance to play Division 1 football in his homestate.

Then Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell took notice, quote-tweeting the post and tagging Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo, who ironically, uses the X handle @Bam1of1.

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“Congrats bro!! Keep working” Mitchell wrote.

Brady Shuffain, Sharon, 381

Chris Vargas, St. John’s Prep, 268

Peter Bourque, Tabor, 232

Andrew Kiricoples, Bishop Fenwick, 192

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Brady Shuffain, Sharon, 4

Chris Vargas, St. John’s Prep, 4

Jake Strojny, Roxbury Latin, 3

Peter Bourque, Tabor, 2

Andrew Kiricoples, Bishop Fenwick, 2

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Jalen Morris, Rivers, 259

Matt Khrakovsky, Sharon, 207

Dylan Patturelli, Bishop Fenwick, 142

Aavian Peña, KIPP, 116

Zack Deschenes, Nashoba Valley Tech, 4

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Jalen Morris, Rivers, 4

Peter Bourque, Tabor, 3

Matt Khrakovsky, Sharon, 3

Elia Machado, KIPP, 3

Ryan Beede, Northeast, 2

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Xavier Hairston, Taft, 2

Ziah Herring, Greater Lawrence, 2

Joel LaChapelle, Northbridge, 2

Dylan Patturelli, Bishop Fenwick, 2

Nikki Santos, Cambridge, 130

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Riley Selvais, St. John’s Prep, 130

Joseph Seaman, Sharon, 119

Riley Selvais, St. John’s Prep, 2

6. Field hockey leaderboard

Jordi Higgins, Bishop Feehan, 4

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Alexa Heller, Wellesley, 2

Sydney Kim, Wellesley, 2

Annie Liebhoff, Rivers, 2

Ciara Maloney, Medway, 2

Lauren Mattia, Lynnfield, 2

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Olivia McCormick, Hanover, 2

Natalie McMenamy, Medway, 2

Effie Parsons, St. Mary’s, 2

Caroline Vaughan, Andover, 2

Jordi Higgins, Bishop Feehan, 4

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Bridgette McGinnis, Bishop Feehan, 3

7. Volleyball leaderboard

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 25

Tess Madden, Hanover, 22

Erin Root, Old Rochester, 14

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Mia Milani, Bellingham, 13

Lila Arkinstall, Wakefield, 12

Victoria Reposa, Reading, 12

Mia Kenny, Wakefield, 11

Lila Moniz, Marblehead, 11

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Anna Fernandez, Westford, 10

Bonnie Politzer, Chelmsford, 10

Sadie Stants, Needham, 10

Jessie Wang, Andover, 10

Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 10

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Elizabeth Willis, East Bridgewater, 10

Madison Blanchet, Central Catholic, 38

Maya Morrison, Old Rochester, 37

Sadie Chadwick, Hanover, 35

Eva Burke, Marblehead, 29

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Bella Lee, Needham, 27

Ellen Griswold, Chelmsford, 25

Erin Bigham, Canton, 24

Tori Grace, Wakefield, 18

Gianna Miceli, Reading, 16

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Addison Parent, Somerset Berkley, 14

Cara Carangelo, Wakefield, 33

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 20

Soley Rodriguez Martinez, Canton, 7

Sophia Soto, Bellingham, 14

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Sydney Faris, Marblehead, 13

Olivia Lesswing, Haverhill, 10

Ryleigh Brown, Somerset Berkley, 9

Erin Bigham, Canton, 8

Addison Parent, Somerset Berkley, 8

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Kaitlyn Pepin, Westford, 6

Kaely Dos Santos, Somerset Berkley, 5

Piper Newell, Old Rochester, 4

Katie Ferrara, Somerset Berkley, 3

Mary Furey, Reading, 3

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Norah Schweitzer, Westford, 3

Naomi Vajda, Andover, 3

Ellen Griswold, Chelmsford, 7

Bella Lee, Needham, 7

Bonnie Politzer, Chelmsford, 7

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Faith Najem, Whitinsville Christian, 6

Claire Zhang, Andover, 6

Brie Cairns, Chelmsford, 5

Alicia Marcal, Chelmsford, 5

Kaitlyn Pepin, Westford, 5

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Dylan Poirier, Hanover, 5

Sophia Soto, Bellingham, 5

Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 5


Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.





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Sewage could be dumped into Charles River under new proposal from Massachusetts water authority

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Sewage could be dumped into Charles River under new proposal from Massachusetts water authority


A new proposal by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to change the Charles River’s water-quality classification is sparking controversy, with advocates saying that sewage dumping could undo decades of cleanup. 

The plan announced at a meeting on Wednesday would declassify the Charles River as swimmable and allow sewage to flow into the water. 

Advocates were shocked to hear the news. 

“There could be more sewage, more trash, more debris, more odors,” she said. “We could be going back to what we worked so hard to improve,” said Laura Jasinski, executive director of the Charles River Conservancy.

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The Charles River is now one of the cleanest urban rivers in the country, according to the MWRA. Jasinski says that the state of the river has come a long way.

“There was a time when people used to talk about the stench,” she said. “We used to get a ‘D’ letter grade, like on a report card, from the EPA. Back up to we’re getting a  ‘B’, ‘B+’ these days.” 

What would this mean for recreational activities?

Visitors like Rangan Gajural worry that the change could make it unsafe for recreational activities.

“I think it’s kind of disgusting,” he said. “I come over here to do paddleboating and canoeing. So this will definitely change my mind if it’s going to stink.” 

“It’s a place where people come to make memories. It’s a place where you can come and watch a sunset. People get engaged here,” Jasinski said. 

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The MWRA says the proposal would not make the river less safe. 

In a statement, the agency said, “The draft plan as presented reflects a responsible approach that balances potential environmental benefits with rate impacts to all MWRA customer communities.” 

Officials said they are working with the cities of Cambridge and Somerville to reduce sewage overflows. The MWRA Board plans to discuss the proposal at its next meeting on Nov. 19.



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