Get Active Subscribe Support Us

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.