Middle School Student Punished for Silent Protest Plot Against Abortion, Inspired to protest after

Life Site News ^ | April 25, 2008 | Michael Baggot

[Coleus]

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, April 25, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "I want to save others from the same fate that I was almost put into," said 14-year-old Janelle Bushnell referring to a silent protest against abortion she has been punished for planning at her New Mexico middle school. Bushnell and a friend have been distributing flyers to fellow students at their James Monroe Middle School, encouraging them to wear red armbands and duct tape in protest of the scourge of abortion that has silenced the voices of so many of Bushnell's unborn peers.

Bushnell was inspired to protest abortion after learning that her biological mother was encouraged to abort her, before foster parents stepped in to take care of her. School officials argue that the planned protest disrupts the educational process because the protesting students will not be able to respond to questions when called upon in class. Bushnell's father argues that her daughter's protest could provide an unexpected, but valuable lesson to those in the school.

"She's trying to educate her peers about dangers that are going on right now.  Hopefully this is an educational process," said Janelle's adopted father Scott Bushnell. Bushnell has agreed to "take the punishment" of a daily silent lunch detention for her protest plot. Bushnell is not the first to face opposition for a silent protest of abortion in school. Last January, the Alliance Defense Fund pressed charges against the Shenendehowa Central School District on behalf of a 13-year-old in Albany, New York after her middle school prohibited her from duct taping her mouth in silent protest.

The Albany student was one of about 1,400 middle and high school students who took part in the 3rd Annual Students' Day of Silent Solidarity. "Students do not abandon their free speech rights when they set foot on campus," argued the student's ADF legal counsel Matt Bowman.  "The school's egregious actions in denying this student's free speech rights, while allowing students to speak on other issues, cannot be allowed to continue." Even the liberal American Civil Liberties Union has expressed support for students interested in silent protests against abortion.

In October, the legal director of the ACLU of Michigan Michael J. Steinberg publicly argued that Jackson, Michigan students had a constitutional free speech right to take part in silent abortion protests, despite objections from middle school officials. "The Supreme Court made it clear that school officials cannot censor student speech because it's controversial.  School is a place for the exchange of ideas," said Steinberg.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Middle School Principal Bars Student from Participating in National Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

Learn more about the National Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

 

Stand True

To respectfully contact James Monroe Middle School officials:

James Monroe Middle School
6100 Paradise Blvd. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87114
(505) 897-0101
Principal: Vernon Martinez

[Coleus]

American Life League's, National Pro-Life T-shirt Day is Tuesday, April 29, 2008

[Coleus]

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[Coleus]

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[G Larry]

“School officials argue that the planned protest...” was not for a liberal cause, and therefore banned by the baby killing, leftists.

[grey_whiskers]

Let's hope the cretins arrest her.

Then she'd have the right to remain silent.../sarc>

Cheers!

[ninergold3]

Isn't there another group that does this same type of protest? Gay & Lesbians or AIDS? I know I've heard of this type of protest but it's for a left-wing liberal "cause".

Seems she is being punished for being conservative. Again, freedom of speech is only allowed when it promotes the leftist agenda.

[lightman]

Again, freedom of speech is only allowed when it promotes the leftist

All speech is equal but some is more equal than others.

Actually, that is a principle of case law on First Ammendment cases: Political speech is entitled to the highest level of protection.

[torchthemummy]

School officials argue that the planned protest disrupts the educational process because the protesting students will not be able to respond to questions when called upon in class.

As is stated in the preceeding paragraph, the students that are part of the protest would be wearing red armbands thus the teachers could, for one day, not call upon them. I say that in the context of a silent protest. If this were an issue of students protesting war, social injustice etc. then not only would the protest be allowed but it would be vocal and, chances are, with support of the school administration itself. The definition of a "disruption" is in the eye of the school administration and faculty.

Remember when students were allowed to skip school to join anti-war protests and, in some cases, given extra credit?

[uptoolate]

School officials argue that the planned protest disrupts the educational process because the protesting students will not be able to respond to questions when called upon in class.

As opposed to the people that will show up carrying pro-life signs, marching in front of the school singing hymns, and chanting pro-life slogans.

You go girl! And prayers up in this time of persecution for righteousness sake.

[matthew fuller]

"School officials argue that the planned protest disrupts the educational process because the protesting students will not be able to respond to questions when called upon in class. "

I support the student's protest goals, but I have to agree that the duct tape is out. I say armbands are ok. The duct tape restricts participation in class discussion, could be a safety hazard. The protest should be allowed with armbands.

[Tired of Taxes]

Isn't there another group that does this same type of protest? Gay & Lesbians or AIDS?

Yes, it's called the Day of Silence. They're silent to protest the quote-unquote "silencing of LGBT people." I searched but couldn't find a connection between this particular middle school and the DOS. But, many schools throughout the country are involved in the DOS protest.

So, you're right, this probably has more to do with the young girl embracing what is viewed as a conservative cause.

[gogov]

I support the student's protest goals, but I have to agree that the duct tape is out. I say armbands are ok. The duct tape restricts participation in class discussion, could be a safety hazard. The protest should be allowed with armbands.

So Martin Sheen can use duct tape to protest but not this student. I don't get what you see as the difference. If the student can not particpate in class because her mouth is taped shut, then she fails the class for the day.

But her rights to peaceful statement can not be abridged.

Are you sure you don't work for the Chinese government. Sounds like they can use you in Tibet.

[pandoraou812]

ping

[Tired of Taxes]

And, speaking of the LGBT’s “Day of Silence” observed in schools, here are other students opposing it at another school:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007182/posts

[Amendment10]

Although the same public schools are not involved in stifling free speech, note the hypocrisy that while one public school is punishing a student for taping her mouth shut to promote abortion awareness, public schools elsewhere are promoting the "Day of Silence" sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2006584/posts

As a side note, this post (<-click) explains why there are all kinds of constitutional problems with the USSC's scandalous decision to legalize abortion in Roe v. Wade.

Finally, this post (<-click), while addressing a 10 Commandments issue, gives an idea why public schools should be teaching the Constitution and its history as opposed to treating Christian religious expression as unconstitutional.

[TigersEye]

This is for you, Janelle.

Abortion is not about saving women’s lives!

Studies Find Abortions Have Long-Term Effects

An Unexpected Correlation: The Legacy of Abortion

Study: Previous Abortions Linked With Pre-Term Birth and Cerebral Palsy

45,951,133

Total Abortions since 1973

------------------------------------------------------------

Why the drop after 1960? (in deaths of women from illegal abortions)

The reasons were new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states). There were two big exceptions — California in 1967, and New York in 1970 allowed abortion on demand. Now look at the chart carefully.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Abortion Statistics - Decision to Have an Abortion (U.S.)

· 25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing

· 21.3% of women cannot afford a baby

· 14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child

· 12.2% of women are too young (their parents or others object to the pregnancy)

· 10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career

· 7.9% of women want no (more) children

· 3.3% of women have an abortion due to a risk to fetal health

2.8% of women have an abortion due to a risk to maternal health

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So how many women’s lives have been saved by abortion?

Only about 3% of abortions since 1972 were reported to be “due to a risk to maternal health.” A reasonable person would recognize that not all of those cases represent a lethal risk. But let’s say they did. That means that nearly 45 million fetuses were butchered to save the lives of about 1.3 million women. Or put another way; 35 babies are killed to save each woman.

Abortion was legal in all 50 states prior to Roe v. Wade in cases of danger to the life of the woman.

Roe v Wade: FULL Text (The Decision that wiped out an entire Generation 33 years ago today)

[matthew fuller]

"Are you sure you don't work for the Chinese government. Sounds like they can use you in Tibet. "

I think YOU need a little duct tape on your keyboard...

[Fargo Rock]

Martin Sheen doesn’t have to answer questions in geometry class.

[I still care]

I agree with Matthew Fuller. I would think duct tape over the mouth would be very disruptive to the class.

I’ve done some teaching. There needs to be a give and take between the students and the teacher, and a student who won’t participate, well that’s a waste of good taxpayer money. The fact that the gay students do it is disgusting, also.

School is not a place to protest, any more than the workplace is. I know I am out of step with the majority of society, but that’s the way I see it. If a student shows up in my class and won’t participate, I would send them out.

[IIntense]

...but I have to agree that the duct tape is out. I say armbands are ok.

That was also my first reaction, matthew, but it quickly changed. We've been made aware of the anti-Christian bias in some (many?) public schools. All Christmas displays are banned. I wonder if they still say the Pledge of Allegiance. If so, is "under God" permitted?

They're free and willing to teach grade school children that homosexuality is an equally acceptable choice as a man/woman relationship.

Are public schools trouncing the Muslim beliefs in the same way? Not that I've heard.

So the anti-abortion students don't answer in class for ONE day; so what? Obviously the long-suffering approach to dealing with liberals does not work.

Maybe I'm dead wrong but these kids are showing more guts than I've witnessed from the Republican Party pols in recent years.