bosco
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2005
- Messages
- 987
The US Supreme court ruled 6-3 that basically students do not have free speech.
I lived in Juneau when this case occurred, and it took some serious overlooking of the facts for them to reach this decision.
The way CNN is playing it, the student unfurled a "bong hits for Jesus" banner at a "school sponsored" event.
Problem is 1) the "school sponsored event" was a public parading of the olympic torch for which students were let out of class 2) the student did not attend school that day, and showed up at the event on his own and 3) subsequently the school district harassed him including doing things like impounding his vehicle for parking on "school property" after being suspended. The "school property" he parked on was to the open-to-the-public swimming pool parking lot.
IMO, he was truant, but not at a "school-sponsored event" since he was never under the auspices of the school that day.
The problem with the court's interpretation is that the school district can essentially declare anything a "school-sponsored event" (school-board meeting?) and squelch criticism from any student.
The district was represented gratis by none other than Ken Star.
Another nail in the coffin of free speech. Well, at least the schools are teaching the skills we need in today's world--how to be censored little sheep.
I lived in Juneau when this case occurred, and it took some serious overlooking of the facts for them to reach this decision.
The way CNN is playing it, the student unfurled a "bong hits for Jesus" banner at a "school sponsored" event.
Problem is 1) the "school sponsored event" was a public parading of the olympic torch for which students were let out of class 2) the student did not attend school that day, and showed up at the event on his own and 3) subsequently the school district harassed him including doing things like impounding his vehicle for parking on "school property" after being suspended. The "school property" he parked on was to the open-to-the-public swimming pool parking lot.
IMO, he was truant, but not at a "school-sponsored event" since he was never under the auspices of the school that day.
The problem with the court's interpretation is that the school district can essentially declare anything a "school-sponsored event" (school-board meeting?) and squelch criticism from any student.
The district was represented gratis by none other than Ken Star.
Another nail in the coffin of free speech. Well, at least the schools are teaching the skills we need in today's world--how to be censored little sheep.