Judge Rules on Battle Over Student's Trump Portrait

Newser ^ | 10/11/2020 | Newser

[aimhigh]

Want a painting of President Trump in your parking space? So be it. That's what a federal judge ruled Friday after a Louisiana teen's portrait of Trump sparked a brouhaha at his school, the Times-Picayune reports. "The painting of President Trump cannot reasonably be described as obscene or plainly offensive on its face, nor can it be construed as school-sponsored speech," US District Judge Eldon Fallon wrote, calling the Trump portrait a type of "pure political speech" the school can't prevent.

The student, Ned Thomas, had the portrait commissioned after Pine Junior-Senior High School near Franklinton offered seniors the chance to paint their assigned spaces for a $25 fee. But Superintendent Frances Varnado soon painted over the image with the school board's approval.

Their reason? It's too political.

[hanamizu]

I went to Catholic School in 1966. There was a prominent portrait of John F. Kennedy in the lobby.

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For those who weren’t around, JFK was elevated to demigod status after the assassination. When they put his mug on the 50¢ piece, it disappeared from circulation because people held on to them as a precious collectables/momentos. Schools, airports, and Capes were named after him and everything Kennedy (or Johnson) claimed to have been for was quickly enacted into law. His portraits were hung in many homes.

If you look at a high school history text and flip to the portraits of Presidents, Kennedy’s is, unlike all of the others, usually portrayed with arms folded, looking down—very somber.

The passage of time has revealed his clay feet...

[fhayek]

Of course, JFK was the first Catholic president, so, that gave him special status in the Catholic world. And, yes, he was something of a demigod in the late sixties...

[ChildOfThe60s]

As long as government controls education our children will be indoctrinated zombies.

We homeschooled in the 90s. While I would not say my daughter is conservative, I would say she is more libertarian, she can sure as hell think for herself.

Did I also say that she can read write and do arithmetic? LOL

[roadcat]

When they put his mug on the 50¢ piece, it disappeared from circulation because people held on to them as a precious collectables/momentos.

Got any half dollars minted from 1965 to 1970? Many people don't realize they have 40 percent silver. (Pre-1965 are 90 percent silver.)

[Crucial]

I always wanted to see a painting of Trump as a minuteman armed with a flintlock rifle.

[Thud]

Betcha the kid wanted to drive over the face every day, and drip oil on it, this is a two-fer for him.