A SIGN OF FREE SPEECH

The battle to clearly define free speech is ongoing, and it will
continue today in the Supreme Court.

When the Olympic torch came through Juneau, Alaska in 2002,
Juneau-Douglas High School students were allowed to leave school and
watch the parade that was going to be aired on television. In an
effort to catch the cameras' attention one student displayed a sign
that read, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." When he refused to take it down, his
principal suspended him for 10 days.

The student, Joseph Frederick, sued the school board for violation of
free speech, and now, the case, which has been successful thus far for
Frederick, will go before the nation's highest court, according to a
March 17 New York Times article.

While Frederick, was not thinking clearly when displaying his banner,
the Supreme Court should rule in favor of free speech for high school
students -- although with some obvious limitations such as prohibiting
the promotion of drug use and violence.

Frederick's case is complex because he wasn't on school grounds and
didn't appear to have any other intent for the sign other than
receiving his 15 minutes of fame.

But he combined drugs with religion -- two code-red subjects when it
comes to fostering attention. He should have considered the
consequences of his actions before holding up the controversial
poster. But Frederick was just behaving like many high school students
do.

While many teenagers haven't quite mastered how to make perfectly
rational and intelligent decisions, the Supreme Court should not limit
their Constitutional rights because of one kid trying to be funny.

High school students must feel as though they can question authority
and speak their minds, as long as their message is appropriate. If
they feel too limited by the government at an early age, they will be
more likely to become apathetic adults.

Surprisingly, many religious groups such as the Christian Legal
Society and the Alliance Defense Fund are supporting Frederick, as
reported by the Times. These groups, usually allied with the Bush
administration, have departed from the president's views on this case
in favor of free speech, demonstrating the decreasing practicality of
always being set in conservative ways.

By condemning Frederick, these groups say the Supreme Court would
isolate him and therefore create division between his supporters and
his foes. Schools should be a united place where students feel
comfortable to be themselves.

Ruling in favor of the school board would be a symbolic gesture of
discouraging expression. Freedom of speech is a Constitutional right
that must be upheld by the country's chief justices. If the young
continue to be censored and isolated for discussing their beliefs, the
United States has a grim future.