Court Tightens Limits on Student Speech - The Huffington Post: "WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court tightened limits on student speech Monday, ruling against a high school student and his 14-foot-long 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' banner.
Schools may prohibit student expression that can be interpreted as advocating drug use, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court in a 5-4 ruling.
Joseph Frederick unfurled his homemade sign on a winter morning in 2002, as the Olympic torch made its way through Juneau, Alaska, en route to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Frederick said the banner was a nonsensical message that he first saw on a snowboard. He intended the banner to proclaim his right to say anything at all..."
We don't need any more emboldened school principals.
Update (from comments):
Nobdebplume's comment and my response are two of the many sides of this argument. By logical extension, employers should now be able to trail employees around and discipline them for free speech activities they don't approve of.
"Are we really talking 'Nazi Schools' when a smart-mouth high school student can't win a lawsuit against the principal because he was rightfully punished for doing something wrong... even with the help of the ACLU?"
If the smart-mouth kid were yelling "fire," then I would agree with your point, but the kid was not. School administrators are paid to deal with all the kids and that includes the ones they don't like and the ones with differing political positions. Resorting to strongarm tactics in order to maintain discipline is not conducive to democracy, but then our Supreme Court is not conducive to democracy.
As always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated.
2 comments:
Are we really talking 'Nazi Schools' when a smart-mouth high school student can't win a lawsuit against the principal because he was rightfully punished for doing something wrong... even with the help of the ACLU?
(see: http://thenewsroom.com/details/441146?c_id=wom-bc-dv)
It amuses me that this is one of the few times the ACLU came out of the woodwork to defend someone who used the word JESUS.
Would Frederick deserve defending had he been guilty of yelling "FIRE" in a crowded auditorium?
Freedom of speech, as with all freedoms, are limited by the damage they can inflict on our fellow citizens.
- Debi from the Political Desk at TheNewsRoom.com
If the smart-mouth kid were yelling "fire," then I would agree with your point, but the kid was not. School administrators are paid to deal with all the kids and that includes the ones they don't like and the ones with differing political positions. Resorting to strongarm tactics in order to maintain discipline is not conducive to democracy, but then our Supreme Court is not conducive to democracy.
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