Community Stands Up for Students' Rights

[SeattleGirl]

Langley, Whidbey Island, WA. When the Young Democrats at South Whidbey High School wore T-shirts last week to mark the third anniversary of the war in Iraq, the club's advisor told a student she had to cover up a few words on her shirt if she wanted to participate.

So she put blue tape over the following items on her shirt: a peace symbol, the word "war" with a slash through it, "247,000,000,000" (one estimate of U.S. expenditures on the war, and the question, "How many more?"

With those four strips of tape, what started as a school-sanctioned effort to raise awareness of the war's toll backfired in a First Amendment controversy. The flap cumlinated Monday when more than 100 angry parents and Vietnam-era veterans packed a South Whidbey School Board meeting to denounce what they viewed as a challenge to students' civil rights.

The incident has exposed raw nerves on an island that's home to a military base, and it highlighted the perils of schools trying to limit students' free expression in the name of neutrality.

The rest of the article can be found at the following link:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2002896500&slug=whidbey29m&date=20060329

It's well worth the read.

[Erika]

1. So what is the meaning of neutral?

What does neutral have to do with free speech rights?

We can't take a stand?

[SeattleGirl]

2. Did you read the rest of the article?

I confess I'm not sure what neutality means, other than maybe it's PC speak or something. But the rest of the story is pretty cool, in that this did end up being a big deal, as well it should have. I get so tired of people who are against the war being told to shut up in one way or another. These folks on Whidbey weren't having any of it.

[Erika]

3. Yes, it was a great article

in which the administrators said they would do it differently if it happenned again.

The U.S. is slowly waking up again after being blasted by the ultra fringe as traitors for saying anything critical against W and his global/anti-U.S.policies.

You got to give W/Rove credit for getting blind sheeple bushbots to follow him without thought or reason.

[SeattleGirl]

4. I applaude all those people who showed up to defend the student

The folks on Whidbey are very proud of the military men and women who serve on the base there, but I think many of them, more so than some people, really understand that one can be supportive of the men and women servinging various branches of the military AND NOT be supportive of the kind of crap the Bushistas have been pulling.

[Erika]

5. I understand completely. My marine nephew just completed

his 2nd tour in Iraq and will be back in Camp Pendleton on the first. He's 21.

His mother just laments that our CIC chose to waste life and our military as W is now doing.

Of course, the closest W ever got to serving in the military was his landing on a ship and declaring mission accomplished and that major combat is over.

What a f'n fool.

[SeattleGirl]

6. I'm happy to hear your nephew is coming back to the States.

I'll bet his mom is beside herself knowing he's coming back.

Bush is a Class A Asshat, and an SOB. The sooner he's gone from the WH, the better.

And to your nephew: Many thanks to him for volunteering to serve. :patriot: