Students: What are your thoughts on this?
Did a Wisconsin school district violate a student's First Amendment rights?
posted by Mr. Carlisle at 3:16 PM
Thursday, January 26, 2012
About Me
- Name: Mr. Carlisle
- Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
I'm a native South Carolinian and I attained my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of South Carolina. I taught fourth grade for two years in the Mississippi Delta and two years at an alternative high school in Western North Carolina. I have been at Tigard High School since the fall of 2003, where I teach U.S. History and Psychology.
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19 Comments:
Ok... if the school is actually frustrated with the article that was printed, then whoever assigned the editorial to him should be punished if the school has a problem with it
3:43 PM
1) The anchorman must be new, he messed up his words and didn't know where the camera was.
2) The assignment on such a contraversial topic was wrong in the first place, the school was asking for a lawsuit. Why give an assignment that would jepordize a students rights as well as be removed from the paper in the first place. "Here's your assignment. NOPE."
3) The kids rights were obviously violated, he has political rights, even within the school. This case is pointless, he's going to win.
4:24 PM
I think this is a pointless conflict. It is someone's opinion and they have a right to publish it.
5:10 PM
I don't understand the school's problem with this at all. Granted that students don't have very many rights in public schools, some first amendment rights are protected and we've talked in class about how political speech is protected. This was purely political speech as far as they portrayed it in this news clip. Especially since they have both sides in their newspaper, and it's an editorial! That's what newspaper editorials are for! Unless there was content in the articles that was really inappropriate, the school was definitely wrong. Students should be encouraged to appropriately express their beliefs.
6:16 PM
Although I disagree with what the boy said in his article, the school should not have violated his rights under the First Amendment. But to be perfectly honest, public schools are constantly violating the rights of students, like the Fourth Amendment for example. A student can be searched at any time, even without a reason of suspicion. I think we need to look at this at a grander scale and stop the violation of a student's Constitutional rights.
6:38 PM
I definitely do not agree with the topic, but it is necessary to point out that under the First Amendment, it is legal. That does not elude from the fact that it is totally inappropriate, and can be interpreted as insulting or hurtful. I happen to have a few friends with gay parents, and they are perfectly fine. Homosexual couples (or homosexuals in general) can raise children. Sexuality has nothing to do with it. I feel like the article is homophobic and irrelevant. He did not seem to do very much research into the matter. All he did was incorporate his religion. That is something to strongly disapprove of. You cannot mix fact and religious belief.
7:40 PM
I definitely do not agree with the topic, but it is necessary to point out that under the First Amendment, it is legal. That does not elude from the fact that it is totally inappropriate, and can be interpreted as insulting or hurtful. I happen to have a few friends with gay parents, and they are perfectly fine. Homosexual couples (or homosexuals in general) can raise children. Sexuality has nothing to do with it. I feel like the article is homophobic and irrelevant. He did not seem to do very much research into the matter. All he did was incorporate his religion. That is something to strongly disapprove of. You cannot mix fact and religious belief.
7:40 PM
I think that that student had the right to publish what he wanted in the newspaper. He was given an assignment and did it. He only gave his opinions, and those opinions are protected under the constitution and cannot be censored.
7:53 PM
I totally disagree with what this kid has stated and view him as a self righteous bigot. My view on the subject though differs depending on the detail of whether this is a school run newspaper. If this is indeed a school run newspaper as I believe, I think the school does have some right to pull this article here as it could obviously be disrupting to the environment. On the other hand if this were to be a state or locally run newspaper I would have to agree that he has every right to spread his poorly misguided words.
8:18 PM
I agree that his first amendments rights have been violated, and that he can present his opinions to the world, even if his opinions are prejudice and homophobic. That's the way this country works.
9:18 PM
This is completely of topic but why is it that when I see these and want to post everyone has said what I think already. ):
10:27 PM
No matter what his beliefs are he has the right to voice them especially if he is given an assignment to do so and this assignment did have some political beliefs in it. I disagree with what he has to say but that doesn't mean its OK to censor what he said. I mean I doubt the kid even cares that much about it being in the paper. It isn't like the side for allowing gay couples was published and his was not. But really to give the kid the assignment then be like "oh. nu uh. no no you can't say that now." Is kinda lame of them.
11:49 PM
Ya'll be preaching it! He stated his opinion, as he is entitled to do. And then a rebuttle was written. So far so good. But then when the district pulled the piece, it was as if they didn't even want a controversial topic to be discussed. C'mon, Government! Let the people talk! I personally disagree with this kid's view on the issue, but atleast let him voice it. The district is sending a message of "if there is a possibly controversial issue, or (God forbid) one that causes people to think, let's just not talk bout it." Great job, Stalin.
1:26 AM
They should have the kid that published it debate a kid that disagrees with him. They should put together an assembly and have a debate, I would find that quite entertaining, and those are my only thoughts at this moment in time on the subject. Good day to you, sir.
2:40 AM
The school district did violate the student's first amendment rights to free speech. The article shouldn't have been distracting because it's an opinion article/ purposefully controversial topic -- the is that's it is controversial so they shouldn't have give this as an assignment and then not published the article because they did not agree with it or thought that others might be upset. In a school environment they staff should be able to take the event and teach something from it, making a debate, researching both sides, celebrating freedom of speech, but not removing it.
5:18 PM
I understand that the school violated the student's rights, but to some degree I agree with the school for what they did. An article like that could cause a lot of drama in school, causing chaos causing no learning to occur. Though what the school did was wrong.
6:45 PM
The kid quoted the Bible. That just makes the article even more controversial. I agree with Corinne though. Why give him the assignment when they knew it was gonna end up getting ugly?
11:29 PM
Why did they even assign this in the first place? It was his opinion. But schools can take rights away from students by using the vague students conduct, "it should not disrupt the learning environment," like wearing offensive clothing.
5:26 PM
Keep in mind that one's first amendment rights exist only to a certain extent at school. I think in a past group discussion it was determined that if a student's speech inhibits/contradicts the ideas/ideals/rules a school is trying to uphold than the school is within its right to stop said speech. If there's underlying homophobia in the article (I don't remember), I'm pretty sure the school is within its right to take it down. I mean, one can't seriously expect to write/say something racist in school and not expect punishment.
Also, what idiot would write against gay marriage.
10:20 PM
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