A THREAT TO ORDER IN THE SCHOOLS

As a school administrator, I celebrate the Supreme Court decision that
upheld the right of a principal to a penalize a student for displaying
a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" ["Court Backs School on Speech
Curbs," news story, June 26]. The job of a high school principal is
difficult, and the principal who hesitates to take daily action to
ensure order in her school will quickly find it drowning in a flood of
inappropriate language, including hate speech and sexual harassment,
not to mention advocacy of illegal behavior.

It came as no surprise that The Post would seek to extend the
principle of freedom of speech to the far reaches of public life,
including our schools ["A Less-Than-Banner Ruling," editorial, June
27]. Yet The Post is familiar with the dilemmas faced by educators as
a new wave of edgy speech washes into the American schoolhouse. Last
September, when you reported on the suggestive language appearing on
students' T-shirts ["Teens' T-Shirts Make Educators Squirm; Suggestive
Messages Challenge Dress Codes," front page, Sept. 27], there was no
editorial outcry from you as school administrators banned T-shirt
messages they deemed inappropriate for a school setting.

The First Amendment says, "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging
the freedom of speech, or of the press. . . . " This principle is
fundamental to a free society. But when The Post argues that the
framers meant by this that the school board and the principal shall
make no rule abridging the freedom of speech, you have gone too far,
for you threaten the vital role of the schoolhouse in teaching both
freedom and responsibility.

Tom Farquhar

Head of School

Bullis School

Potomac