Texas Teacher Forced to Remove 'Jail 45' License Plate

A teacher in Texas is being forced to remove a license plate that reads, "Jail 45," a reference to President Donald Trump, reports WFAA.

Jerry Balkenbush's license plate was approved in November, but the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles revoked it after someone filed a complaint it was offensive.

"Someone said, 'OK, that's OK,' and then one complaint says, 'OK, you've got to take them off' when to me, that's my freedom of speech, my First Amendment rights," Balkenbush told the TV station.

"My license plate is peaceful; it does not harm anybody," Balkenbush added. "If we can't protest the government, then what direction are we headed toward?"

Balkenbush, an Air Force veteran, said his family has received nasty messages since he posted photos of the plate to Facebook.

"I did not foresee the hate coming, the nasty words and profanity toward me and toward my wife," he said. "I feel like this is the new normal in our politics."

But he plans to fight the order, vowing in a Facebook post to appeal the cancellation up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

"In my view, [Trump] is a crook and needs to go to jail," Balkenbush said. "I really feel like it was a violation of my freedom of speech against the government."

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