Supreme Court hears 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' case

[rebel with a cause]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A high school principal was acting reasonably and in accord with the school's anti-drug mission when she suspended a student for displaying a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner, her lawyer told the Supreme Court Monday.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17687386/

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Another attempt to limit free speech in my opinion. I don't even think the kid was on school property when the sign was held up, so I see no reason why the principle should have been involved at all. This is just another case where the bushettes have become involved in order to find ways to take away our free speech. JMHO

[BOSSHOG]

1. The kid got his wish

He said he wanted a little attention.

Yeah, I heard he skipped school that day and was not on school property. The fundies won't like the ruling. They want everyone to be "free" so they can proslytize in public buildings.

[rebel with a cause]

2. The article said that school had been let out for the afternoon.

I am having problems posting it on the new format. I don't know what is going on, but what I am posting keeps disappearing off the post.

[LiberalFighter]

3. This doesn't look like it was done on school property

Frederick chose to display the banner during a school-sanctioned event to watch the Olympic torch relay as it passed through Juneau on its way to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Morse saw the banner, confronted Frederick and suspended him. Frederick said she doubled the suspension to 10 days when he quoted Thomas Jefferson on free speech.

Frederick, helped by the American Civil Liberties Union, sued the principal and the Juneau school district. He lost in federal district court, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Frederick's rights were violated and that Morse could be held financially liable for her actions.

Among the factors that could weigh in the decision, Frederick was standing on public property, not school grounds when he displayed the banner. The school said students were allowed to leave class to see the torch pass by, making the event school-sanctioned. Frederick, however, never made it to school that day before the event.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Excerpt from a related story

Frederick, then a senior, was off school property when he hoisted the banner but was suspended for violating the school’s policy of promoting illegal substances at a school-sanctioned event.

“The principal’s actions were so outrageous, basically leaving school grounds and punishing a student for a message that is not damaging to the school,” said his attorney, Doug Mertz.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Originally suspended the kid for 5 days. Then...

Morse saw the banner, confronted Frederick and suspended him. Frederick said she doubled the suspension to 10 days when he quoted Thomas Jefferson on free speech.

I would suggest the principal was pissed off at being challenged by someone with a bit more brain then her.

[rebel with a cause]

6. Thanks or posting more of the article,

It is not allowing me to post the article for some reason, just the one line. :grr:

Here is another tid bit of it I was trying to post above.

The Bush administration, backing Morse, wants the court to adopt a broad rule that could essentially give public schools the right to clamp down on any speech with which it disagrees.

[EarlG]

11. Sorry about the bug

Elad is working on fixing it right now.

[rebel with a cause]

13. That's okay.

I just thought I was having a senior moment. About to loose it here in my easy chair editing like a mad woman. :7

Edited to add: I do like the new format of posting though. When I can get my whole message on the post ;-);-) it makes it much easier to get the message posted correctly.

[Elad]

21. It should be working now

Thanks for your patience while I iron out the kinks.

[rebel with a cause]

23. de nada.

Thanks for coming to my rescue and for explaining what the problem is.

To other posters, my editing time for the OP piece is up but the article should be read in full to get the full jest of it.

[jody]

30. Freudian slip but absolutely true "read in full to get the full jest of it."

:hi: and :rofl:

[niyad]

12. the student quotes jefferson, and the suspension is DOUBLED?? what the HELL kind of reasoning is

that on the part of the principal? how stupid, arrogant, and totally insane is that?

all I can say is, considering what a vocal rebel I was in school, it is clear I would not survive in today's repressive atmosphere.

[rebel with a cause]

14. what the HELL kind of reasoning is that?

It is bush's type of reasoning. That is what makes this such an ideal case for him to support. Here is a "decider" just like him.

[Odin2005]

16. Many principals think they are the lords of a little fiefdom.

School administration is a job that tends to attract people with dictatorial tendencies.

[harpboy_ak]

29. It's across the street

The picture was taken from the front steps of the high school gym, looking across the street where the Olympic Torch Run was taking place. It happened about 10:30 in the morning IIRC, and they let school out from 10 until noon.

FYI, the comment about the kid and his father from almost everyone who met them was they were both quite obnoxious people. To me, that's meaningless. It's the principle of free speech that's paramount and I voted against every school board member that voted to appeal the case when they lost at the 9th Circuit.

The now former principle was, according to some students I spoke to at the time, a real control freak once kids entered her discipline zone. Once she got on a kid's case, she wouldn't let up. Even worse, she and the most offending school board member got the local cops to harass the kid, citing him for illegal parking in the swimming pool lot next door when he was sitting in his car waiting for his girl friend, and tearing his car apart on a traffic stop for an intermittent taillight, wanting to know where his "bong hits" were.

Interesting thing is that the wife of Frederick's attorney, who argued the case before the Supremes today, was elected to the school board shortly after all of this started, and she, of course, has always voted against pursuing the case.

[depakid]

4. What AP fails to mention (on purpose?)

Is that the kid was 18 years old- legally an adult.

[rebel with a cause]

8. So do you think that because he is 18 it gives

the school the right to suspend him for the banner, even though he was not on school ground and at that time was not attending a class activity?

[depakid]

20. Being of the age of majority

removes the school's Parens patriae powers over Mr. Frederick. Unlike juveniles, he enjoys the full panoply of protections afforded under the Bill of Rights.

This significantly weakens Ken Starr's case, and potentially makes the resulting precedent applicable to everyone attempting to exercise their free speech rights. You or I might be might be subject to discipline by some entity that's acting under color of state law, in the event we expressed "unpopular" opinions in a public forum.

[rebel with a cause]

22. Okay, got you.

Thanks for clearing up for me. After having a problem trying to post the article, I didn't trust my understanding of everythng.:eyes: So I was unsure exactly how you meant the post, but I see that you see it like I do, that this could mean a threat to any of us using our free speech in the future. Man, this bunch of right wingers attack our rights from all sides, they are just like sharks.

[sam sarrha]

25. he also wasnt on school property.. he was across the street,

[LiberalFighter]

7. Why is the scumbag Kenneth Starr taking time off from his job as Pepperdine Dean

to argue this case?

Is he taking a sabbatical from school or is he receiving pay while representing the school board?

[rebel with a cause]

10. He is trying to set a precedent to limit free speech.

Make those students think twice before they speak out and say something that the authorities might not agree with, whether they are at school or not. We sure don't want a repeat of the sixties. So stop it while we have the upper hand.:sarcasm:

JMHO

Edited for spelling.

[LiberalFighter]

17. I hope Pepperdine University students harrass the sob

[rebel with a cause]

19. ....

:thumbsup:

[saigon68]

26. Starr is a total catamite to the Chimp

[Odin2005]

15. I hope the kid wins.

According to the logic of the argument the school is using it would of been wrong for a kid back in the 50's to criticize segregation because it was the law back them. :eyes:

Sounds like the typical tyrannical school principle with a big ego not liking to get owned by his students.

[rebel with a cause]

18. Exactly like back in the fifties.

Respect authority. Don't make waves. Those in charge know best.:argh:

Kids need to learn to respect others, but to never question is never to learn for yourself. JMO

[Joanne98]

24. Court hears Bong hits for Jesus case

Source: Reuters

Court hears "Bong hits 4 Jesus" case
Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:07PM EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In its first major student free-speech rights case in almost 20 years, U.S. Supreme Court justices struggled on Monday with how far schools can go in censoring students.

In a case involving a Juneau, Alaska, high school student suspended for unfurling a banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus," several justices seemed wary about giving a principal too much authority at the expense of the student's right to express his views.

"It's political speech, it seems to me. I don't see what it disrupts," a skeptical Justice David Souter said.

"And no one was smoking pot in that crowd," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, referring to the group of students standing near the banner as the Winter Olympic torch relay passed by in January 2002.




Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1647733520070319

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Hmmmm. If they rule against pot, they rule against Jesus. What will they do?

[Zhade]

27. If it were ever discovered Jesus actually existed...

...I'm almost certain he'd have been cool with a beneficial herb like marijuana.

Hell, if he existed, he probably smoked/ate it.

[rebel with a cause]

28. drank it?

Some say the tea is very beneficial to the health. :)