COURT RULING COULD PROHIBIT "BONG HITS 4 JESUS"

This week, the Supreme Court is hearing one of the most important free
speech cases involving the rights of students in schools in more than
50 years.

The case revolves around then-high school student Joseph Frederick,
who in 2002 went with his classmates to watch the Olympic torch being
carried through his town of Juneau, Alaska, on its way to Salt Lake
City for the games. When the torch and the cameras following it passed
by Frederick and his friends, they unveiled a 14-foot banner that said
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus."

The principal of the school, Deborah Morse, immediately ordered
Frederick to take down the banner, but Frederick refused. Morse then
suspended him for 10 days, judging that because he was on a school
outing she had the right to prevent him from demonstrating support for
ideas that could be detrimental to other students.

Frederick has won in court so far by arguing that his free speech
rights were violated, but the school system believes they should have
the right to limit speech violating school policies, such as a
pro-drug message.

However, the Supreme Court's decision on this case will result in
serious consequences, regardless of which side wins.

Morse and other public school officials will have the right to silence
students when they disagree with anything they say if the Court sides
with them.

However, as Justice Stephen Breyer notes in an article published by
USA Today, a ruling in Frederick's favor could encourage students to
go to extremes to test these limits.

It's no surprise that the Bush administration is backing Morse in this
court case. If she wins, everything from anti-war propaganda to
statements about abortion could be all but eliminated from classroom
debate.

This fear - that all kinds of free speech may be affected - has
enemies such as gay-rights, free-speech and religious rights
organization, joining together to protect the rights of Frederick and
all future students, according to mtv.com.

Many high school subjects - from current events to science to
government and economics - discuss controversial issues, and the way
these classes would be taught could be forever changed.

Seriously, how are you supposed to engage in classroom debate when you
have to be afraid that you might get suspended for what you say? That
only punishes students with new or different ideas, prevents them from
being creative and innovative and takes away an intrinsic part of the
classroom curriculum.

We agree that if Frederick wins, more "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banners
could show up around high schools for awhile, but it will die down.
And so what if it doesn't? High schoolers aren't going to be convinced
to do drugs because they see a sign like that. They'll just think it
was funny.

In any case, students should look for the outcome of this case in the
media. Of course, if Morse wins, they may have to keep their mouths
shut about it.