San FRancisco - Rehearing on T-shirt is denied (Is the 9th Circus promoting censorship?)

SFGate.com ^ | 8/1/06 | Bob Egelko

[an amused spectator]

He is the clown prince of the 9th's black-robed clowns.

[Pablo64]

"The Supreme Court has recognized students' right to free speech, he said, but school officials can limit expression that disrupts education or violates other students' rights, including the right of a historically persecuted minority to be free from psychological attacks that cause young people to question their self-worth."

There is so much wrong with this sentence from the article.

First of all, why don't the school officials limit the ridiculous "Day of Silence" since that is an obvious disruption of a normal school environment and thus could be considered a disruption of education.

Second, where exactly is there a right to be free from "psychological" attacks? How are we to define a psychological attack? Couldn't a day of silence to honor something that is against a students deeply held religious convictions be construed as a psychological attack on them, especially if the majority of students chose to participate, thereby exerting undue peer pressure on other students to set aside their beliefs and conform?

Thirdly, where is it written that anyone, young or not, has any kind of right to be protected from anything that makes them question their self worth? That's just plain stupid! It's such a vague concept since anyone could say that anything could cause them to question their self worth.

I know, I know, I just need to be more sensitive and understanding and stop being such a bigot and hate monger. Meanwhile, my kids will grow up learning that there are going to be things in the world that offend them and maybe even upset them (awww, boo hoo!), but that's just part of life. Deal with it. If it upsets you, build a bridge and get over it!