[MarkWar]

>A Crosbyton High School student, who claims he must get approval from his superintendent before submitting letters to the community newspaper, has filed a lawsuit

Why didn't this kid just write letters to every editor he could think of, and then let his superintendent sue him ... That would have made for better press, I think.

Heck, way back when, when the Doors were on the Ed Sullivan show, they were told they must not sing the lyrics "Everybody love my baby/She gets high" (Drug refs weren't allowed on TV.) So, in rehearsal, they just sang something silly like "she gets by" or something. Then, when they went live, Morrison, in front of the cameras, sang "She gets high"

The world didn't end.

Kids today. Instead of defying authority, they file lawsuits. What would Thoreau say?!

Mark W.

[Hodar]

Does the Bill of Rights have an age limit? Maybe it's in the fine print at the bottom ... you know, I just don't read the fine print like I should.

[onedoug]

God forbid kids should be taught to exercise their rights.

[newgeezer]

Latimer was called out of history class to meet with Morris and the band director, the lawsuit said. Morris told Latimer that his letter had hurt the school, the band and Morris personally, the lawsuit said.

Assuming Latimer's letter told the facts known to him about the matter, it would appear any "hurt" done to the school, the band, and Morris were caused by the decision to cancel the song, not by the letter stating the facts.

Regardless, it's laughable that these school officials actually believe they have the right to restrict a student from writing a letter.

[Bikers4Bush]

That's one superintendent that should be looking for a new line of work.

[DoughtyOne]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? There's a school in the United States that doesn't understand the concept of free speech, and dare I say it, the Constitution? Oh it can't be so. It can't be!

[mountaineer]

While I believe no school administrator has the legal right to prevent a 16-year-old from writing a letter to the local (non-school) newspaper, I'm not sure this kid's suffered any harm. He did write his letter. No one stopped him. Although he claims he's been forbidden from writing another, he doesn't allege he actually tried to write another and was prevented from doing so. As we haven't heard the school officials' side of this, I'm taking this kid's complaint with a grain of salt.

[doctor noe]

This is so ridiculous that there must be more to the story. No school (public or private) can forbid a student from submitting a letter-to-the-editor to a community newspaper, no matter what the topic. If the school chooses to chastise a student over the topic, that is a right of free speech, but they certainly have no legal ground to stand on if they choose to punish a student.

[monkeyshine]

The suit is premature. Morris has no ability to prevent the student from writing a letter to the editor. Morris is a typical bureaucrat idiot, no doubt, for trying to exert pressure on the kid.

[Doomonyou]

"Amazing Grace"

Can't mix religion with Govmint schools you know. Might offend somebody.

[ThreePantherEightyDuce]

He's a student, growing into a member of his community. The school administration sounds like they view the students as inmates, with a house arrest gag over their mouths.

I hope this student sues. What a crock of ...

[Piasa Bird]

I agree that if it had been my kid, I'd have advised him to ignore the illegal order. Then he could write another letter and see if the school tried to punish him.

Where is Jesse jackson when you need him.

And with the Doors, I only recall that the movie related the incident to the song, Light My Fire: "Girl, we couldn't get much higher." Morrison wondered if something like "Baby, won't you bite my wire," would be better.

Bird

[KineticKitty]

"Crampton said the case "cuts right to the heart of what it means to be free in America."

Crosbyton High School Website

Sign Crosbyton CISD's Guest Book

Email for Superintendant Larry Morris; larrym@chief.crosbyton.k12.tx.us

Email for Principal Lynn Maxwell; lynnm@chief.crosbyton.k12.tx.us

Email admin Staff/Band Director Rodney Gurley; rodneyg@chief.crosbyton.k12.tx.us

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I don't know why he needs a lawyer to resolve this. Just ignore the school.

[ikanakattara]

The kid was absolutely right to sue. Districts who act this obnoxiously are probably committing all kinds of civil rights violations all across the board. Some organizations only respond to a 2X4 upside the head, and this district sounds like one of them.

[KineticKitty]

Fired off...

To; Larry Morris, The Principle, and the Distict Band Leader.

I.E; Are we in the U.S. of A?

So this is the school that is squashing the free speech of others? (minors or no)

Something that needs to be understood is that the "local letters to the Editor" Section in Your newspaper was meant for Opinions. And here's the reality check.... I am positive that your opinions, and the opinions of all of your students DO NOT MATCH as one nice warm fuzzy opinion.

Who are you to tell to tell this student that he cannot voice his opinions in a public forum??? This (If anyone's right) is his parents. Did he write this letter on campus? Did he also mail it from Campus? Did he use School stationary and stamps? I Doubt it.

In otherwords, there is no accounting for how you are rationalizing the fact, that you are trampling on this young man's freedom of speech.

[nothingnew]

"Just when you think it's safe to go back into the water...."....

PERMISSION?....GFY!

...Just my humble opinion...(JMHO)

FMCDH

[Happygal]

Well. I haven't read any responses to this article but...here's my tuppence worth.

I was educated by the nuns. (What do you expect when yer born, bred and reared in Ireland?). So I couldn't (excuse the French) fart crooked and a nun had me in detention.

So friggin' what?

I was editor of the school magazine (and was hauled over the coals over stuff I wanted to print..and wasn't let).

But at the end of the day.......those nuns, (that I hated) gave me an education.

And every time I went home and complained about what Sr. So-and-so wouldn't let me do, me Ma gave me a skelp across the back of the ear and said ``She was probably doin' ye good''

I'm not saying what happened in this case was right.

In fact, what happened to ME wasn't probably right. But as a 16 year old it WAS right. I wasn't allowed to moan to newspapers as a child to get attention. I got a kick up the ass and was sent to my room.

And the result is...?

I'm now a very vocal....CONSERVATIVE...journalist!!!

[AUgrad]

Supt. Morris has forbidden plaintiff Justin Latimer from writing letters to the editor of the Crosby County News and Chronicle without defendant Morris' prior review and approval, simply because Supt. Morris did not approve of Justin's viewpoint in a previously published letter," the lawsuit states.

This young man needs to write a letter to the editor of every newspaper in the area each day rabidly criticisizing both the superintendant and his ignorant belief that he can censor a private citizen. What is this stupid superintendant going to do? He is an idiot if he thinks he can do ANYTHING about it.

[BikinLiLo]

HOMESCHOOL

HOMESCHOOL

HOMESCHOOL

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