Rape jokes in HS hallway, no big deal. Report on it and you'll be censored.

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/students-rape-culture-article-sparks-free-speech-debate-b99230013z1-251784191.html

Fond du Lac High School student's 'rape culture' article sparks free-speech debate

When Tanvi Kumar wrote an article about what she perceived as her high school's casual attitude toward rape, she talked to victims of sexual assault, visited an abuse treatment center and combed through the article with her adviser before publishing it.

Still, she never thought that her story would be read aloud and discussed in Fond du Lac High School classes, or that a teacher would approach her in the halls with her own story of sexual violence. "I was never prepared for something like that as a student," said Kumar, a senior. "I think that just goes to show how powerful these topics can be."

That power has reverberated through Fond du Lac this month. District administrators reacted to Kumar's story by enacting a censorship policy, touching a nerve among students and faculty and leading to a controversy over First Amendment rights that has made waves in national forums.

...

Kumar said she was stirred to write the story after hearing rape jokes in school hallways and seeing what appeared to be a student-run Twitter account that poked fun at rape. "I was appalled by that, and it upset me to the point that I felt like I had to say something or do something about it," Kumar said.

[el_bryanto]

1. That's pretty brave - very impressive.

Hopefully it will have an effect.

Bryant

[Squinch]

2. But... but... I thought rape culture was all just in our hysterical heads. I'm so confused!

Good for her. The administration just bought themselves a world of hurt.

[cui bono]

3. Looks promising...

A 1988 U.S. Supreme Court case, Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, allowed school districts some license to censor school-funded student publications. But that censorship still has to be educationally justifiable, said Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, a national legal support group that has been in touch with the Fond du Lac students.

"This should be a no-brainer," LoMonte said. "All of the legal considerations and all the educational considerations point in one direction. I can't believe that a competent school lawyer is going to tell the board to stay the course and defend an indefensible decision."

[cui bono]

4. The students say they will continue writing cutting edge pieces even if they aren't published

in the school magazine.

Kumar said even if the policy remains in place, the students will continue pursuing stories like "The Rape Joke." They have even received offers to publish censored work elsewhere.

"We're going to continue to write — maybe not publish, but write — cutting-edge pieces about issues we're passionate about," Kumar said. "If they choose not to include it, then we'll have to go from there.... We're never going to stop writing."

[AverageJoe90]

5. What they did was unacceptable.

Kudos to Tanvi Kumar for standing up and doing the right thing.....

[Lars39]

6. Every female in that HS needs to walk out and keep walking out until these fucking imbeciles

making these decisions get run out of town on a rail.

[progressoid]

7. Good work Tanvi Kumar!

[TBF]

10. Also - video from the school board mtg tonight

http://bcove.me/9z80yf5w

ETA - no idea why I posted this here - I was attempting to simply reply to Scuba again. At any rate this happened tonight as well.

[progressoid]

12. Excellent. Let's hope it makes a difference.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. but, THERE IS NO RAPE CULTURE !!! Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

Carry on ...

[TBF]

9. I just heard about Tanvi Kuma (link included)

from friends back home and did a quick search to see if anyone here had the story. Sure enough!

It also took me awhile to find a copy of the article she wrote: http://www.scribd.com/doc/207265554/Cardinal-Columns-February-2014

Starts on page 11.

It's very good.

[Scuba]

11. Thank you for adding this!

[WillyT]

13. K & R !!!

[Tsiyu]

14. Jimmy Carter agrees with her

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017183396

[Brickbat]

15. It's like she ignored the whole "joke" part.

Does anybody remember laughter?