As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case Frederick v. Morse this past week, the national spotlight has been pointed towards students and their free speech rights both in and out of the classroom.
The case revolves around a Juneau, Alaska high school senior, Joseph Frederick, who held up a sign that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" on a school-sponsored field trip as the Olympic torch passed through his hometown in January of 2002. The principal of the school, Deborah Morse, told Frederick to take down the sign, citing the schools' stringent anti-drug policy. Frederick refused, and was promptly handed a 10-day suspension. Frederick subsequently sued, claiming his first amendment right to free speech was infringed.
As a student myself, I witness the constant pushing and pulling that occurs between students and the administration over issues such as hall passes, disputes, and student rights. This case has the potential to rewrite the Court's opinion on the free speech rights of students, a decision that would affect students nationwide.
In precedent, the Supreme Court has ruled that the free speech rights of students are different from those of the general public. Since the school has the responsibility to educate the students, any display of free speech that disrupts the ability of the school to educate is legally limitable under the Consitution. On the other hand, students that exercise their free speech rights in such a way as to not disrupt the learning environment are constitutionally protected.
I recognize that schools have a responsibility to educate their students. I also recognize that the learning environment is not to be compromised under the guise of free speech. Having said that, however, I have seen first hand that the administration is more likely than not to suppress constitutionally protected free speech if it is an unpopular or taboo opinion.
The opinions of students are just as important as those of politicians, media darlings, and the general public. Many adults look at what students have to say and immediately dismiss it without a second thought. This is an unjustifiable and gross error on the part of adults.
Not only are the nations' students the future leadership of this country, but our ideas and suggestions do have merit. Thousands of community service projects have been started by students. Millions of lives have been positively affected by students. Ideas that have impacted the world have come from students, and yet, for everything we have done, students are seen as second class citzens, people to not be taken seriously. I realize that some students may overstep their bounds and say things they should not in a school environment, but the actions of a few are absolutely not representative of the whole.
Although one might say Frederick overstepped his free speech rights, this is no reason to constitutionally limit the free speech rights of students. Although it may seem as if only a few free speech rights are being withheld for the benefit of the learning process, it is a slippery slope. An unpopular opinion may be cast as disrupting the learning environment, and, with no protection under the law, students will be unable to voice their opinions, severaly handicapping the democratic ideals we so ardently preach in the schools themselves and legislatures of both national and state governments.
I agree with you. Students are generally already looked down upon by adults, and our opinions are not always taken as seriously as they should. If they put even more limits on our rights to free speech, adults will disregard us even more. But there always has to be that one kid who goes out and ruins it for everyone--in this case, the kid who held up the sign only lowered adults' opinions of students. If people wouldn't abuse their rights, we wouldn't have problems like this.