School bans t-shirt bearing the First Amendment

[The Straight Story]

School bans t-shirt bearing the First Amendment

By Linda P. Campbell, Special to The Kansas City Star

I’m still trying to get my head around the idea that a public school can ban a student from wearing a T-shirt with the First Amendment printed on the back.

Where is that written in the Constitution?

"Congress shall make no law . . ." isn’t really an anything-goes license for expression. But surely even limits on students’ speech must themselves abide by reasonable limits.

Most of the news stories I’ve seen about the lawsuit Pete Palmer and his parents filed against the Waxahachie school district have focused on his being told his "John Edwards for President" shirt violated the high school’s dress code.

Not so highlighted is the fact that officials also rejected a shirt flaunting the text of the First Amendment:

...

And a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week said it would not issue a preliminary injunction against enforcing the ban.

http://voices.kansascity.com/node/5548

[Gman2]

1. Tell you the truth, I would go for a ban on all messages on students clothes

Icons included. That last part is a little hard. It leads to possible confrontation. Property damage, and trouble. And the message, of wearing the first ammendment, AT SCHOOL, is to call into question, the legitimacy of the school, to control anything. But in particular, their right to express anything, no matter the countervailing interests. As minors. In some instances, wearing even the wrong color, let alone, the wrong message, leads to death. School officials cannot accept that risk. That would be to spit on the taxpaying parent, that insists that schooling is not life threatening.

[Mythsaje]

3. Pathetic.

[Gman2]

5. In what way do you feel that students have a right to interfere with other students

education? I am not talking about college. There is a solid mandate to wipe away all possible distractions to learning. And contentiosness, is unwelcome in the lower grades. At least official contentiosness between students and faculty.

[Mythsaje]

34. I call bullshit.

It's only a problem because they decided it should be a problem. It wasn't when I was in school. It's about non-conformity, not distraction.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. That looks to be pretty much what was in place when this all started

[Chef Eric]

29. I've got a Benjamin Franklin quote for you.

"Those who can give up liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

[Mythsaje]

35. Bingo...

Thanks, Chef Eric.

And a belated welcome to DU.

[Mythsaje]

2. I have to laugh...

Back when I was in school, they barely HAD a dress code. But everybody jumped on the bandwagon and voila, we get stupid shit like this.

[The Straight Story]

4. Yeah I wore all kinds of shirts - from religious to ones with star wars on it

No one seemed to give a crap, come in, go to class, go home.

[Gman2]

9. And I got in fights at least twice a week for most of my education

till a junior. Cuz I was opinionated. Almost cornered and stabbed.

Little things like no trust for the faculty, cuz it is the kids against the old fools, make for a very dangerous campus.

To add, I have started only one fight in my life, I lost.

[lunatica]

7. When I was in school girls couldn't wear pants

And in some circumstances the kind of dress you wore was banned. Tight, straight skirts or anything showing any leg above the bottom part of the knee or too low cut was considered trashy.

[EndersDame]

10. It is amazing that I take the right to wear pants and shorts for granted

I would have hated to live in the past

[lunatica]

13. So did we. We changed it in our Feminist movement

I'm delighted you can take it for granted. I actually knew that when that happened then real change had happened.

Change does happen and it's real when people take the change for granted.

[EndersDame]

14. A big fuckin Thank You to all my feminist foremothers!!!

[lunatica]

15. The torch is in your hands now!

Run with it! We still have a ways to go!

[EndersDame]

16. Oh hell yeah we do

My friend's wife (she gave him the marriage ultimatum and he gave in because he is afraid of being lonely)is totally into gender roles and it makes me want to puke everytime I see her so I have almost cut off all ties to said friend.

[lunatica]

19. If he's your friend he should know better

I can't imagine women taking an inferior role anymore. I just don't get the Christian idea that women are only supposed to act in a supportive role.

Ack! Them is fighting words to me!

[EndersDame]

21. Its kinda hard he is also my bf's best friend he was alot different before he met her

which was right after a bad relationship. I just usually stay home while they go out! She is a complete psycho path she got jealous when my friend gave me a ride so I did not have to wait for the bus in the rain and she thinks that it is her dduty to be a happy homemaker!It is like she is a cartoon from the 5os

[lunatica]

22. You're right to back off

He'll soon see that her jealousy is horrible. Right now he may be flattered by it, but that kind of jealousy is really bad for any relationship. It suffocates and is demanding and intrusive and oppressive. That alone will eventually end the relationship. He won't be able to ever satisfy her insecurity. Unfortunately for him this relationship probably won't end well either.

My son's first girlfriend was jealous of me as his mother. It got really weird. When they were hugging in front of me she would give me a look of triumph, like she was showing me he loved her more than he loved me. It was really bizarre! Fortunately her jealousy drove him away in the end and it had nothing to do with me.

[EndersDame]

25. I really don't see how any one could stand to have a partner who is jealous

i dunno

[JeanGrey]

27. I miss people actually trying to look nice. Nowdays

you can find people with curlers in their hair at a job interview. That's gross.

[EndersDame]

30. YEah that is gross but not being able to wear pants at school is ridiculous

Plants and slacks can be very nice

[Nikki Stone1]

6. Does this mean the First Amendment is a threat to schools?

I am not sure why they would have a problem with a student wearing a shirt with a part of the Constitution on it.

[bemildred]

8. I thought schools were supposed to teach the 1st amendment.

Who are these morons running our schools?

[Gman2]

11. They are the ones that need to teach your twerps more than how to do a sitin!

[Gman2]

12. How bout this one? Your parents that have gotten abortions, are murderers?

Should that one have first ammendment protection, in kindergarten?

[bemildred]

18. Pretty much, yeah.

As long as they don't make threats. It's never to early to begin education about critical thinking.

If the teacher is saying that, that would be wrong, that would be teaching dogma. I don't care for dogma much.

[Igel]

26. Teaching it is one thing.

Wearing it is another.

My kid's school is a "color coordinated" school. A bit of Newspeak for a flexible uniform policy. Tops/shirts: Any solid color, trim must be the exact same color as the rest of the shirt. Pants can be blue denim, navy, brown khaki, or white. No diamonds, decals, etc., on pants or shirts, pants may not sag, must be down to knee, and shirts must cover waistband or be tucked in. Shoes have to be closed-toe (no further restrictions), socks are mandatory but otherwise unrestricted. Officially no logos, designs, prints, etc., are allowed, although they've relented and said "logos" that are embroidered or sewn on by the manufacturer--but aren't messages as such--are ok as long as they measure no more than 2" x 2". Violate the rules, and the kid heels it in the principal's office until the parents show up with a change of clothing.

They'd ban this shirt, as well. And it's Constitutional, 'cause it's message neutral and serves an "important government purpose."

[bemildred]

28. It is hard for me to see how you can teach it and not allow it.

But it's true I am a simple-minded sort.

[1Hippiechick]

17. Didn't read the article - probably dress code issue of ban on printed text/design on shirts -

I, for one, would like to see uniform dress in elementary, middle and high schools - levels the playing field. Not a uniform, per se--various colored polo shirts and khaki-colored pants, for example - assigned shirt colors for the school days each week, i.e., blue on Monday, green on Tuesday, yellow on Wednesday, aqua on Thursday, red on Friday, etc.

[Generic Other]

23. you sound a little like a hippie chick who sorta got brainwashed by the Establishment!

What day do we get to wear tie-dye, dammit?

LOL. Sorry, your post made me giggle.

[Gman2]

24. Sounds more like the movie Platoon.

[1Hippiechick]

31. I thought that would bring at least one comment. No, the uniform dress idea stems from having

worked in a public school--specifically in an alternative school--and seeing what today's youth will wear to draw attention to themselves--particularly the troubled girls. During school hours, uniform dress levels the playing field - not as much material distinction among the classes, and boring - studies support uniform dress. Our youth need all the help they can get when it comes to their education. Wear whatever they want outside school hours - just my opinion. It's the world in which they will live. I surely don't wear to work what I would prefer to wear. Do you?

I will always be a hippie at heart - just a little more mellow now - I will be 62 in November.

[Mamacrat]

32. I think all writing is banned.

I think that even before they implemented uniforms in our area that any type of shirts with words at all were banned. At least it was across the board instead of piecemeal.

I saw a shirt in public the other day on a grown man that really offended me. He was sitting at a bar in a a restaurant I entered with my mother and my son. His back was facing us. The shirt read: Shuck Me, Eat Me, Suck Me Raw. It was for an oyster bar, but still... I'm glad my son can not read, yet. I can see a boy wearing that to a college party or something like that, but I do think that's really inappropriate (and not political speech a la "F--- the Draft" at all) to wear during the day in a place where children go.

[DeSwiss]

33. I know one damn thing for sure....

...I'm glad my ass isn't in high school right now. Because I wouldn't be there very long.

- Schools today aren't worth shit.....