Free-Speech Case Divides Bush and Religious Right

[TheMercenary]

This is a techincal matter from a legal standpoint. Some dumb ass reporter is making a mountain out of a mole hill. One side is looking at it as a free speech issue, the other as the right of a principal to deal with issues that he feels adversely affects the students. To bad the students were not at school. The school will lose.

[richlevy]

Another reason to thank GWB.

Court restricts student expression

Washington - A high school principal did not violate the free speech rights of a student when she confiscated a 14-foot prank banner near school grounds during an outdoor school assembly.
In an important First Amendment decision limiting student free speech, the US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that school administrators and teachers retain discretion to censor student speech that they believe may encourage illegal drug use.

The 5-to-4 decision comes in a case involving an Alaska high school student who displayed a banner proclaiming "Bong Hits 4 Jesus."

The nation's highest court said the principal of the high school had the authority to confiscate the banner even though it was being displayed on a public sidewalk across the street from school property.
The decision is important because it somewhat expands the authority of school officials to censor student speech when the students are present at school-sponsored events and the message of the student speech is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use.

In reversing the Ninth Circuit decision, Roberts wrote: "School principals have a difficult job, and a vitally important one. It was reasonable for [the principal] to conclude that the banner promoted illegal drug use – in violation of established school policy – and that failing to act would send a powerful message to the students in her charge, including Frederick, about how serious the school was about the dangers of illegal drug use."

F***ing pussies. A useless gesture in the 'war on drugs' in exchange for a piece of the First Amendment. Whatever happened to 'strict constructionists' and 'not legislating from the bench'?

For once, I'm very sorry that Mercenary was wrong about something.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Roberts is an asshole.