Posted on 03/18/2005 12:01:02 PM PST by kc8nsb
East Lansing High School Censors Student Newspaper
Distribution of independent publication prohibitted
EAST LANSING, Mich. East Lansing High School student Tyler Whitney denounced the censorship of the Right Way, an independent conservative newspaper that students were barred from distributing.
Our paper featured respectful opinions from well-informed and open-minded moderates, libertarians, and conservatives. It was not disruptive, explained the Right Ways editor Tyler Whitney. Whitney faced punishment for distributing a paper, which he considered to be a part of his constitution rights to free expression.
Before the administration halted the distribution of their publication, the writers stood in the hallway and allowed passers-by to optionally obtain their publication. School officials stopped the distribution. After reviewing the material, East Lansing Superintendent Dr. Dave Chapin denied the students their distribution rights. Dr. Chapin informed them that he considers conservative views disruptive.
Free speech may not always be popular, Whitney explained, But it is a right that even high school students have.
East Lansing High School has prohibited the distribution of underground or independent publications. The Student Press Law Center, a national non-profit foundation, reports that Although public schools can establish reasonable restrictions as to the time, place and manner of distribution of underground publications, they cannot absolutely forbid their distribution on school grounds.
Whitney and several others distributed the paper on Tuesday, March 15. Disciplinary action may still be pending.
Here's another example of why high school as we know it is a doomed institution. We have been discussing inexpensive ways to fast track kids through high school to avoid the liberal agenda and other idiocies such as this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1315730/posts?page=84#84
Unfortunately my thread title was not well thought out, because some parents might instinctively skip over it due to attached stigma, whether real or imagined.
"Dr. Chapin informed them that he considers conservative views disruptive."
This guy is an idiot and he's going to be sued up the wazoo.
(1) drop association with john birch society (defensive maneuver)
(2) get a court order to force the principal and the district to allow 1A expression on campus, citing the U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker v Des Moines School District, 393 US 503 (1969):
http://www.landmarkcases.org/tinker/home.html
From the ruling:
. . . First Amendment rights, applied in light of the special characteristics of the school environment, are available to teachers and students. It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate. . . .
. . . The Fourteenth Amendment, as now applied to the States, protects the citizen against the State itself and all of its creatures - Boards of Education not excepted. These have, of course, important, delicate, and highly discretionary functions, but none that they may not perform within the limits of the Bill of Rights. That they are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of Constitutional freedoms of the individual, if we are not to strangle the free mind at its source and teach youth to discount important principles of our government as mere platitudes. . . .
. . . On the other hand, the Court has repeatedly emphasized the need for affirming the comprehensive authority of the States and of school officials, consistent with fundamental constitutional safeguards, to prescribe and control conduct in the schools. Our problem involves direct, primary First Amendment rights akin to "pure speech"
. . . In order for the State in the person of school officials to justify prohibition of a particular expression of opinion, it must be able to show that its action was caused by something more than a mere desire to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint. Certainly where there is no finding and no showing that engaging in the forbidden conduct would "materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school," the prohibition cannot be sustained . . .
. . . the record fails to yield evidence that the school authorities had reason to anticipate that the wearing of the armbands would substantially interfere with the work of the school or impinge upon the rights of other students . . . [and] the school officials banned and sought to punish petitioners for a silent, passive expression of opinion, unaccompanied by any disorder or disturbance on the part of petitioners. . . .
It is also relevant that the school authorities did not purport to prohibit the wearing of all symbols of political or controversial significance . . . Instead, a particular symbol - black armbands worn to exhibit opposition to this Nation's involvement in Vietnam - was singled out for prohibition. Clearly, the prohibition of expression of one particular opinion, at least without evidence that it is necessary to avoid material and substantial interference with schoolwork or discipline, is not constitutionally permissible. In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism. School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students in school as well as out of school are "persons" under our Constitution. In the absence of a specific showing of constitutionally valid reasons to regulate their speech, students are entitled to freedom of expression of their views. . . .
Typically the last stand of a school or college is to label free speech "disruptive." You know you have them cornered
if they come out swinging with this one.
I am not a lawyer and do not play one on TV... ;-)
So let the queers and muzzies print their own broadsheet. Let the marketplace of ideas flourish. That's why conservatism is seeing a re-birth--our ideas only gain more credence when held up against the left's drivel.
And that's a problem because....?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Woah!!! I live about a short walk from there (im a university student).
I'm suprised the "State News" even put this article in the newspaper. Generally, its filled with the BS opinons of the liberal "elite". I only get it for the crossword :) Let me see if I can email this guy. Fight the good fight.
contact these two groups IMMEDIATELY: PJI first.
Pacific Justice Institute, http://pji.org/
Gateways to Better Education, www.GTBE.org
That was the policy of my high school when I went to school many many moons ago. It may have nothing to do with it being a conservative paper but rather a desire to not allow unauthorized printed materials distributed on campus. If this rule has been in place for a long time and if other papers have been withheld for the same reason I can't really fault the administration. Now, if they just made the rule up in response to this particular paper then there is an issue. A little history on this would be helpful.
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