Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

ACLU Sues After School Hassles Kids Over Gun Pics
guns.com ^ | April 11, 2019 | Chris Eger

Posted on 04/11/2019 8:08:45 PM PDT by PROCON

The ACLU of New Jersey is taking a local high school to task after two students were suspended after posting photos of legally owned guns on a weekend while away from school.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court Wednesday against the Lacey Township School District and school administrators in both their official and individual capacities, alleges the teens had their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights violated by the suspension.

As detailed in court documents, one of the boys posted pictures of the two seniors on a Saturday range outing with family, far away from school grounds, to Snapchat. Most of the images were uncaptioned while one was labeled with a reference to a “zombie apocalypse” and another said, “hot stuff.” When the boys returned to class on Monday, they were suspended by administrators who said the pictures would cause a disruption, even though the nature of Snapchat is that the platform deletes images after 24 hours. Prior to the suspensions, neither of the youth had been disciplined in the past by school officials for anything more than being tardy on a few occasions.

Worse, argues the 15-page filing, is that rumors of the two student’s punishment quickly circulated on social media and were even picked up by local news, which led to the school initially denying it disciplined the boys over the issue.

“When I was pulled into the principal’s office for something I shared with my friends privately, outside of school, over a weekend, it felt like I had no place where I could truly speak freely,” said H.S., the student whose Snapchat post sparked the school’s actions, whose name is withheld as he was a minor at the time of the suspension.

The ACLU is seeking a statement added to the student’s permanent records that their rights were violated as well as revisions to school policies that the district cannot punish students for constitutionally protected speech while off campus.

“The technology for communicating ideas may change, but the fundamental principle remains the same: young people have the right to express themselves, and, with rare exceptions, they shouldn’t face punishment by school administrators for it,” said CJ Griffin, an attorney for the students.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education; Government
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; 2ndamendment; aclu; banglist; education; freespeech; gunpic; newjersey; nra; school; secondamendment; studentsrights
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last
No, the ACLU has not been a friend to the 2nd Amendment in the past, but they do get it right 0.0050% of the time.
1 posted on 04/11/2019 8:08:45 PM PDT by PROCON
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: PROCON; mylife; Joe Brower; MaxMax; Randy Larsen; waterhill; Envisioning; AZ .44 MAG; umgud; ...

RKBA Ping List


This Ping List is for all things pertaining to infringes upon or victories for the 2nd Amendment.

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from the list.

More 2nd Amendment related articles on FR's Bang List.

2 posted on 04/11/2019 8:09:43 PM PDT by PROCON ('Progressive' is a Euphemism for Totalitarian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I am very surprised it took this long before a lawsuit came up on this. That school district needs to be bankrupt it as an example.


3 posted on 04/11/2019 8:11:26 PM PDT by Reno89519 (No Amnesty! No Catch-and-Release! Just Say No to All Illegal Aliens! Arrest & Deport!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reno89519

two students were suspended after posting photos of legally owned guns.

Liberal logic.

BAN CAMERAS!!!


4 posted on 04/11/2019 8:16:03 PM PDT by Texas resident (Democrats=Enemy of People of The United States of America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

what next? Suspending or expelling all kids who own or have guns in their homes?


5 posted on 04/11/2019 8:20:46 PM PDT by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

Interesting


6 posted on 04/11/2019 8:21:39 PM PDT by wastedyears (The left would kill every single one of us and our families if they knew they could get away with it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

If they aren’t boning the kids, they are stalking them.


7 posted on 04/11/2019 8:25:28 PM PDT by healy61
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I’m stunned they would take a 2A case.

That’s not one of the civil liberties they’ve been known to protect.


8 posted on 04/11/2019 8:35:20 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lurkinanloomin

Please note they defended them on 1st Amendment, not 2nd Amendment grounds.

Righteous either way, but let’s not count this as a 2A defense....


9 posted on 04/11/2019 8:47:02 PM PDT by Bshaw (A nefarious deceit is upon us all!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

this looks like a no-brainer and the aclu probably needs the money


10 posted on 04/11/2019 8:48:17 PM PDT by stylin19a (2016 - Best.Election.Of.All.Times.Ever.In.The.History.Of.Ever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

one of the boys posted pictures of the two seniors on a Saturday range outing with family, far away from school grounds, to Snapchat. Most of the images were uncaptioned while one was labeled with a reference to a “zombie apocalypse” and another said, “hot stuff.” When the boys returned to class on Monday,
= = =

Posted on a Saturday - - - expelled on Monday.

How does this school get this info this quickly?


11 posted on 04/11/2019 8:51:37 PM PDT by Scrambler Bob (You know that I am full of /S)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I teach kids to shoot IDPA. Should my job be at risk?

Hell, I teach deputies to shoot.

SMH.


12 posted on 04/11/2019 9:01:01 PM PDT by glock rocks (... so much win!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

This school and whoever made this decision needs to be sued into poverty and submission.
This is left wing activist shit and should end everything good in their life.


13 posted on 04/11/2019 9:03:09 PM PDT by oldenuff35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas resident

They’d freak out of my boys pics.


14 posted on 04/11/2019 10:26:06 PM PDT by Reno89519 (No Amnesty! No Catch-and-Release! Just Say No to All Illegal Aliens! Arrest & Deport!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

This is what passes for leftist satire, right?


15 posted on 04/11/2019 10:48:30 PM PDT by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Progressives spent that time trying to destroy it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON
...The ACLU is seeking a statement added to the student’s permanent records that their rights were violated as well as revisions to school policies that the district cannot punish students for constitutionally protected speech while off campus...

And why are they not asking for $20 Million plus based on a violation of their clearly established rights.

This is a huge 1A violation which is so well established that there shouldn't even be qualified immunity for anyone...

16 posted on 04/12/2019 12:17:49 AM PDT by CurlyDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reno89519

“The lawsuit, filed in federal court Wednesday against the Lacey Township School District and school administrators in both their official and individual capacities,”

Suing them individually is excellent. They’ll have no indemnity and will be forced to pay any judgement personally.

L


17 posted on 04/12/2019 2:53:34 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: CurlyDave

“there shouldn’t even be qualified immunity for anyone... ”

The article states the Principal and others are being sued individually in addition to the District. That’s is excellent. Strip them of their indemnity and leave them bankrupt.

L


18 posted on 04/12/2019 2:56:20 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

The ACLU will defend TO THE DEATH the ‘right’ of people to own pictures of guns.

Where the draw the line is when it comes to the 2nd Amendment right to actually own guns. The refuse to go there...the 2nd Amendment simply does not exist as far as they’re concerned.


19 posted on 04/12/2019 2:57:16 AM PDT by BobL ("Its hard to find a black cat in a black room, especially if the cat isn't there"Russians to Mueller)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lurker
"Suing them individually is excellent. They’ll have no indemnity and will be forced to pay any judgement personally."

Yes. This is the only way any suit will have an impact.

If the taxpayers foot the bill for the defense the true offenders have only their jobs to lose.

Suing the "school system into oblivion" will only raise the citizens' taxes.

20 posted on 04/12/2019 4:29:24 AM PDT by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson