Zeal For Truth

Why did the issue of a HS student showing off for the TV cameras make it all the way to the Supreme court? And why was the margin of defeat for this case so small?

Yes, students should have some rights, but speech advocating drug use, speech mouthing off to their teachers, and abusive language of all sorts should NOT be protected speech in any public high school. For that matter, “good” speech at the wrong time shouldn’t be permitted either. Who runs these places, anyway?

I’m with Justice Thomas on this one: “In light of the history of American public education,” Justice Thomas said, “it cannot seriously be suggested that the First Amendment ‘freedom of speech’ encompasses a student’s right to speak in public schools.”

I’m a bit more sympathetic with the high schooler in England who has gone to court because she wouldn’t remove her purity ring. I see the school’s point that the ring is not a part of dress code, but it does appear to have religious significance, and religious symbols are allowed to be worn with the school uniform. One big difference I see in these two cases involving the rights of teenagers is that in the former case the freedom is generally disruptive to a learning environment while the latter isn’t. Schools have a purpose, and that purpose isn’t so students can exercise their constitutional rights. It is so they can learn.