Important Freedom of Speech Case for Student and Adults

As the Olympic torch passed through Juneau, AK prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics, an 18 year old, Joseph Frederick and some friends held up a sign during the parade which said "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" in order to get attention from the news crews. The news crews didn't make a big deal out of it as they are used to kids and adults holding up silly signs during news events. No big deal.

But someone did make a big deal out of it, Joe's principal. Deborah Morse suspended Joseph for 15 days for carrying the sign and confiscated the sign. And that would be that, except for the fact that this occurred off school grounds on a public street, when school was not in session. There's no reporting on whether the other students carrying the poster were suspended.

Suddenly, this stopped being no big deal. It's now going to the Supreme Court.

Some neo-cons are up in arms, saying that because his poster referenced Jesus and drugs that it was offensive. Bong hits 4 Jesus, while being a bit nonsensical, could also be seen as religious to some Christian groups ie. Rastafari (sic). So it's a matter of perspective, offensive liberal attack or invitation to a rather unusual Bible study. Joe said he read it off a skate board.

Actually the real issue isn't what Joe did, it's what Mrs. Morse did. Had this occured during school hours or on school property or when Joe was representing the school in some function, I would say she was completely within her right to suspend him. But he wasn't. He was a legal citizen, old enough to serve his country,on his own time on a public street representing no one but himself. Was he acting like a child? Yeah, but as someone who works with teens, I can tell you, maturity isn't linear.

From reports on both sides, these two individuals didn't like each other. The two of them appeared to spend most of Joe's high school years with Joe pulling her chain and questioning her authority in non-destructive ways. That's the sign of a young person acting like a child.

Mrs. Morse utilized her position of power in Joe's life to punish him for utilizing his right of free speech, even though at the time that he did it, he was not under her jurisdiction at the time for a position with which she disagreed. That's called retribution. That's the sign of an adult acting like a bully.

And while neo-cons like Kenneth Starr are trumpeting Mrs. Morse's cause and claiming she was the injured party, I doubt they are paying attention to what kind of train wreck this case could cause if it goes the wrong way.

Let's turn this case around for a minute so you can see what I mean. If this case is ruled against Joseph Frederick, it would be possible for employers and even government officials to use their positions to punish you if they don't like your position on an issue.

So for the Conservatives in the audience that means that if you had a anti-abortion sign in your yard and your boss drove by and saw it, he could write you up at work or suspend you.

Knives like this cut both ways. We can only hope that this Supreme Court doesn't leave us all bleeding.

Oh, and by the way, Joseph Frederick, the little rabble rouser...is now a teacher. Gotta love it!