.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Saturday, January 20, 2007

High School Students Censored?

The editors of the student newspaper at St. Francis High School had planned to run a photograph on the front of their latest edition simulating the ripping of an American flag. Until their principal banned it:

    Some First Amendment experts said administrators overstepped the law by blocking publication of the photo.
    ...
    The photo could be seen as offensive by community standards, said Edward Saxton, superintendent of Independent School District 15, which serves northern Anoka and southern Isanti counties.
    ...
    Chuck Samuelson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, said his group might be interested in taking up the students' cause, and that the principal made the wrong decision.

    "It sends a really bad message to students, and that's why he shouldn't do it," he said, noting that school journalism exercises are often intended to educate students on the rights, and responsibilities, of free speech. "It was a teaching moment, and he blew it."


Chuck "Pompous ASSHAT" Samuelson

As I mentioned in This Post, maybe when Chuck The Asshat takes that final "dirt nap", I'll be outside his funeral service with a "God Hates Chuck Samuelson" sign and see how tolerant his family and survivors are of my cruel and distasteful, yet free and protected speech.

Is what the students planned on doing with the ripped flag image - the
high school newspaper - something by which is taxpayer funded? You bet it is. And it's something that should be censored not because of "free speech", but because it's a newspaper produced by a public school funded by taxpayer money.

The principal is really the final authority - the "Publisher", so to speak - in editing a high school newspaper. He made the right call.

©2007

(Please, no comments or rebuttals using The Tinker Decision . I'm aware of it, thank you.)

Comments: Post a Comment



<< Home

eXTReMe Tracker



Web Site Traffic Counters
Alabama Internet

Listed on BlogShares

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

This site uses photographs and material from other sources in strict
accordance and compliance with Fair Use Section 107 U.S. Copyright Code.
All other images and content © 2005-2009 David Drake.
Not responsible for content contained at linked sites.

Policy on commenting:
- Anonymous comments have little chance of being published.
- Comments made on posts 60 days old or older have little chance of being published.
- Published comments do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog author.
- Discretion of publishing or rejecting submitted comments rests solely with the owner and creator of this blog.
- Comments that egregiously "plug" (i.e. advertise or promote) another site or blog will be rejected. This doesn't mean you cannot include a link to your story, blog or to another site, but don't go overboard.
- Profanity is not a disqualifying factor, but profane rants solely for purposes of profanity are unlikely to be published.
- The owner and creator of this blog is not liable or responsible for the opinions of those who comment.