Teen Won't Be Punished for Anti-Brownback Tweet

[_eh]

Source: Slate

The Kansas teen who insulted Republican Gov. Sam Brownback last week with the hashtag #heblowsalot won't be punished after she refused to apologize for the offending tweet, school officials said Monday afternoon.

The Shawnee Mission School District told the Associated Press that Emma Sullivan will not be disciplined after refusing a request from her school's principal to write a letter of apology to the Kansas governor. The school district said it "acknowledges a student's right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected."

The decision comes one day after Sullivan said that writing the letter would be insincere and that she wouldn't do it. It also comes as the anti-Brownback tweet has gone viral, bringing the 18-year-old temporary fame. She now has nearly 9,000 Twitter followers (@emmakate988), more than twice the total of Brownback (@govsambrownback).

Read more: http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/11/25/sam_brownback_s_office_get_s_tweeting_teen_in_trouble.html

---

Glad to see the school deciding to actually abide by the First Amendment. What a concept!

[bluestateguy]

1. If you stand your ground and don't give in to the apology crowd

They give up and move on.

Richard Trumka a few months ago is another example of this.

Dick Durbin crying on the floor of the Senate is the exact opposite.

[geckosfeet]

2. I don't know how anyone thought that they could restrict her first amendment rights

and not hear it from their lawyers.

This whole thing was ridiculous from the start. She can say anything wants and no school or politician can force her to keep quiet or apologize.

[bluestateguy]

3. School administrators are some of the dumbest people you'll ever meet

nt

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Watch this be the start of her political career ... :^) nt

[firehorse]

11. unless they block her going to college

I was wondering if the blowback for her would be hidden in some way .... like getting into college, etc.

[CoffeeCat]

12. No school...

...except Fox News University--would care about what she did.

And if her school tried to disparage her and ruin her ability to get into good schools--they
could face a lawsuit.

[mac56]

13. Serious?!

Colleges will be lining up to recruit her.

[firehorse]

17. Do state colleges and universities feel pressure if the governor asks them to do something?

I would think they'd be fine sacrificing one student over government aide.

[mac56]

39. If that were to happen

there will be lawyers parachuting into the parking lot.

[Posteritatis]

54. Lots of lawyers would drool at such an incredibly obvious slam-dunk case

And I can't imagine all state colleges would insta-fold if the governor was trying to interfere in a student's admissions process, assuming he could be aware of it, which he couldn't anyway.

[RKP5637]

35. +1000 +++ n/t

[AlbertCat]

31. I was wondering if the blowback for her would be hidden in some way

They'll run her and her family outta Kansas on a rail!


..... which of course would be a blessing for her and her family. They could live somewhere civilized.

[hayrow]

29. The Democrats have done one heck of alot worse.

As a graduate of the University of Arkansas, I hope she doesn't change her mind, and goes to college in Fayetteville.

[tcaudilllg]

33. The end of Brownback's, at least. n/t

[_eh]

37. If I were American, I'd vote for her

in a microsecond!

[closeupready]

5. Hey hey - score one for the good guys.

:) K&R

[tpsbmam]

6. Happy to be the 5th rec on this....lesson to Dems.....backbone works!

I have no doubt that the blowback at the school had much to do with their decision. I love that it's their student schooling them on what honor and integrity are all about.

:applause:

[Phlem]

7. "a request from her school's principal to write a letter of apology"

Who is this asshole.

-p

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. He's probably just the guy the shit landed on. I imagine there were a lot calls from the statehouse.

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Posteritatis]

55. Even so, a damned high school principal should be expected to know better than try that. (nt)

[DallasNE]

9. That Doesn't Go Far Enough

The Principal now needs to apologise to Sullivan for overstepping his bounds by trying to bully her into something that was an inappropriate response to bullying by the Governors office. The only hero her is Sullivan herself.

[RueVoltaire]

10. There is nothing so satisfying as hearing someone say the truth.

I live for it.

[russspeakeasy]

14. Teen won't be punished for telling the truth; What a concept !

[qanda]

15. The Democrats could learn from her

Brownback wanted an apology and she said NO!!!! She stood up for herself and in the end the bullies are the ones who ended up apologizing. Good for her!

[RKP5637]

36. Exactly!!! I am so fed up with democrats cowering to republicans. n/t

[_eh]

40. Dare I say: Obama could learn from her?

I'm not an American, so perhaps I shouldn't say this, but it seems to me the President has been too bloody conciliatory toward a Republican Party that would rather flush your country down the toilet than cooperate with him in any manner.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

51. Stop re-electing Harper or else your country may be headed down the same path

Trust me as someone who comes from a country governed by Stephen Harper's mentor, the legacy won't be pleasant

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[brooklynite]

16. for those unclear...

this is Johnson County, the southwestern suburbs of Kansas City, about as urban and progressive as Kansas gets.


Also, my mother's High School...

[fascisthunter]

19. do you suppose that may be the motivating factor for this reaction

by the GOP? I wonder if it is...

[_eh]

42. Really? The most progressive?

! :scared:

[JJW]

18. She didn't go far enough

Because not only does Brownback SUCK! He also should be sent to the Hague for crimes against humanity trial. He was one of those disgusting Senators that approved of all of the evil Bush & Cheney did.

[AnneD]

20. Last I heard...

we still have free speech and politicians richly deserve all the scorn heaped on them.

BTW...I don't think we have habeas corpus anymore so the student might want to watch out for white delivery vans nearby.

[azmesa207]

21. Teen won't be

punished for not apologizing for insulting Brownback . First of all it not a insult to tell the truth about this creep .Good for her for standing up for her self

[plumbob]

22. The principal at her high school is

Krawitz, Karl Principal 993-6600 [e-mail]

Just so you know.

[treestar]

23. That's a relief

The lesson learned would be so wrong if she were.

[rms013]

24. WTF

When did the elected governor become Lord Governor. Is she supposed to say I am sorry me lord for offending you?
This is not 17th century England. She is not a vassal in a feudal state.

To even consider an apology is in order is ridiculous.

Does anyone see the absurdity in this?

And who in the hell does the governor think he is.

[Demeter]

25. She now has nearly 9,000 Twitter followers (@emmakate988), more than twice the total of Brownback

:rofl:

[_eh]

43. Mathematical Justice

Gotta love it!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

44. She just got one more

BIte me, brownback.

[geardaddy]

26. Punished? For what?

For speaking her mind?

[AsahinaKimi]

27. She has 11,750 Following ... Not too shabby

She's also a supporter of Ocuppy Wall Street.

[alp227]

28. A state governor just sank to an average high schooler's social mindset. nt

[_eh]

45. Please don't insult the average highschooler!

:P

[bulloney]

30. If she would have been punished for practicing her freedom of speech,

this country really would have slid into the abyss.

[onwardsand upwards]

34. Freedom: use it or lose it

I think it's already in the abyss, and the only way out is through courage like hers.

[roguevalley]

32. i told her about us and how we love her :)

[RKP5637]

38. Great!!!

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

[_eh]

46. How? Did you tweet her? And did she reply?

If so, then I agree: :yourock:

[lonestarnot]

41. Good to see someone showed them the Constitution and they could read or maybe someone read it to

them.

[FredStembottom]

47. FINALLY! Someone who doesn't just cave in....

.... to the first whimpering demands for apology from the phony victimization crowd.

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[_eh]

48. Clearly, she's not a Democrat!

But perhaps she could be converted to the D-Side...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/john-mccain-meghan-msnbc-dark-side_n_1116527.html?ref=politics

:rofl:

[_eh]

49. K 4 GS

49er

[Solly Mack]

50. K&R