Free Speech = Unconstitutional

[DonkSlayer 1]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editor...ment-editorialsMan this makes me mad...I don't care what the guy's shirt said, people don't have any right "not to be offended."

[MasterLJ 0]

He's in HS. That shirt has no business being there. Besides, there are many freedoms pre-18 year olds can not enjoy. Hell, I was an 18-year old smoker and I'd get razzed every day when I lit up right after school in my car.If this were college, it'd be a different matter entirely. As we've seen, we've allowed people to picket with obnoxious signs at the funerals of fallen soldiers.

[ajs510 122]

I think the ruling is crap and needs to be reevaluated, but I also think the schools should have the right to decide their own dress and conduct codes. I don't think students should be able to wear black armbands as a war protest either, you're there to learn, not to teach.

[Petoria 0]

As long as the shirt doesnt condone or encourage violence, it should be allowed.

[MasterLJ 0]

As long as the shirt doesnt condone or encourage violence, it should be allowed.

So shirts with nudity, drug paraphenalia, kiddy porn, beastiality, racial slurs etc are all ok in High Schools?

[DonkSlayer 1]

So shirts with nudity, drug paraphenalia, kiddy porn, beastiality, racial slurs etc are all ok in High Schools?

You should be able to wear anything you can say. If the kid is allowed to say "Homosexuality is evil", then he should be able to wear it.I don't think public schools should be able to mandate what the students where unless it's strict, like, a pique polo and khakis, and skirts for the girls. You can't tell people some speech is ok, some not.

[MasterLJ 0]

You should be able to wear anything you can say. If the kid is allowed to say "Homosexuality is evil", then he should be able to wear it.I don't think public schools should be able to mandate what the students where unless it's strict, like, a pique polo and khakis, and skirts for the girls. You can't tell people some speech is ok, some not.

I can respect that. We come from different angles. I don't think any of this has any place in our schools.However, your rights end where someone else's begin. That's the way the Constitution was designed and it has worked fairly well thus far.My litmus test for situations like this is to apply the situation to something that hits home. The statistic is that 5% of the US population is homosexual. So let's say you are a white kid (presumably you are) who goes to a school that is 95% non-white. How would you feel if shirts saying, "White People are Evil," were allowed. Wouldn't you want someone sticking up for you?If these are adults, I am in complete agreement. Where whatever the hell you want. But these are kids already having a tough enough time.

[Mercury69 3]

I think the God-boy should be allowed to wear that shirt. i also think that anyone offended by it should be allowed to kick his stupid, judgemental Christian *** around the block.How about I wear a t-shirt that says "Born Again Christians are Assholes"? You really think i'd get away with it?Additionally, I challenge anyone to show me where in the Bible "God says it's wrong" to be gay.

[timwakefield 69]

You should be able to wear anything you can say. If the kid is allowed to say "Homosexuality is evil", then he should be able to wear it.I don't think public schools should be able to mandate what the students where unless it's strict, like, a pique polo and khakis, and skirts for the girls. You can't tell people some speech is ok, some not.

So the following slogans are also acceptable?"Blacks are a lesser race.""Women belong in the kitchen.""I hate Mexicans.""Go back to China."

[ajs510 122]

"Women belong in the kitchen."

Can you send me a link where I can buy this one? My girfriend would get a kick out of it.

[timwakefield 69]

Can you send me a link where I can buy this one? My girfriend would get a kick out of it.

Yeah I will after I finish the website. I'm starting a line of offensive shirts. Be the talk of the town in your 'I hate Mexicans' hoodie!!

[DonkSlayer 1]

I think the God-boy should be allowed to wear that shirt. i also think that anyone offended by it should be allowed to kick his stupid, judgemental Christian *** around the block.How about I wear a t-shirt that says "Born Again Christians are Assholes"? You really think i'd get away with it?

While an asskicking may be in order, "Born Again Christians are Azzholes" would not be allowed, b/c you can't say "Azzhole" in any public school i've been in.

So the following slogans are also acceptable?"Blacks are a lesser race.""Women belong in the kitchen.""I hate Mexicans.""Go back to China."

If you may say that in school, then you may where it on a shirt.I didn't say I think it was OK or that I like it or anything else, but that's not what the 1st Amendment says.

[timwakefield 69]

If you may say that in school, then you may where it on a shirt.I didn't say I think it was OK or that I like it or anything else, but that's not what the 1st Amendment says.

Yes but the point is that you CAN'T say these things in school. Of course you can say them out loud to a friend or in a small group, but wearing a slogan on a t-shirt is akin to saying something in front of the entire school. If you got up at assembly and said "Latinos are all idiots," you would be suspended.

[Mercury69 3]

All I can say is USA law has got real skewed. Man, you guys run an effed up country down there.

[DonkSlayer 1]

Yes but the point is that you CAN'T say these things in school. Of course you can say them out loud to a friend or in a small group, but wearing a slogan on a t-shirt is akin to saying something in front of the entire school. If you got up at assembly and said "Latinos are all idiots," you would be suspended.

Well, it's tricky in public schools, and that's the point I think. I bet if you did that at an assembly, they would try to get you in trouble, and would if you didn't get a lawyer or something. I'd wager it wasn't intentionally against the rules, but in my experience whenever somebody said something an administrator didn't like, they would just get them for "harassment". Whatever that means. Liberals harass me for having a different opinion than me on a lot of subjects. Lock'em up.sw

[MasterLJ 0]

"Go back to China." T-shirt made in China

[Petoria 0]

So shirts with nudity, drug paraphenalia, kiddy porn, beastiality, racial slurs etc are all ok in High Schools?

Obviously thats not what I meant.

[MasterLJ 0]

Obviously thats not what I meant.

Obviously, but the line is so blurred that I think it's best to keep all this crap out of high schools.Under your rules a shirt saying, "Homosexuals are gay," is ok, but "Have you beat a queer today?" is not. They both are derogatory, although shirt #1 is funny as hell... I'd wear it.

[Petoria 0]

Obviously, but the line is so blurred that I think it's best to keep all this crap out of high schools.Under your rules a shirt saying, "Homosexuals are gay," is ok, but "Have you beat a queer today?" is not. They both are derogatory, although shirt #1 is funny as hell... I'd wear it.

I guess #1 is derogatory, but #2 is definitely inflammatory. There's a difference. Your right the line is blurred. I'd prefer to error on the side of free speech in this case though. I think you should not be allowed to display anything illegal (i.e. Drugs, porn, violence, etc.). Or any "bad words", or inflammatory speech.

[madtrix72 0]

I think the God-boy should be allowed to wear that shirt. i also think that anyone offended by it should be allowed to kick his stupid, judgemental Christian *** around the block.How about I wear a t-shirt that says "Born Again Christians are Assholes"? You really think i'd get away with it?Additionally, I challenge anyone to show me where in the Bible "God says it's wrong" to be gay.

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22That is God giving the law to Moses. Next.

[aadams_22 3]

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22That is God giving the law to Moses. Next.

King James version?If it is then that book isn't the word of God, it's the word of King James. King James contorted many things to go along the lines of how he personally thought, not how Jesus said them.

[FullMontyM1 0]

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22That is God giving the law to Moses. Next.

Let's take that as face value. That means that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible also says that everyone is a sinner, and that all sin is sin, that there is no gradation of sin. So why single out one particular sin?That aside, the distinction of where the shirt is being worn and by whom -is- important. Schools can control the dress of their students, they have to be able to, otherwise people could theoretically come to school almost naked, etc. etc.Monty

[LongLiveYorke 38]

In a perfect world, matters of this should not be regulated by a higher organization, such as a school or government, etc, but rather by society's common sense of decency. So, he should be allowed to wear whatever he wants under the law of the state. Instead, when he wears something as offensive as this, he should be shunned by society or get the crap beaten out of him or whatever. His offence is one against the unstated and understood rules of society, and his punishment therefore should be imposed by the society that he offends.We should be condemning his schoolmates for ever talking again to someone who does something like this.

[MasterLJ 0]

Let's take that as face value. That means that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible also says that everyone is a sinner, and that all sin is sin, that there is no gradation of sin. So why single out one particular sin?That aside, the distinction of where the shirt is being worn and by whom -is- important. Schools can control the dress of their students, they have to be able to, otherwise people could theoretically come to school almost naked, etc. etc.Monty

That's an interesting point. My gay friend has a shirt that says "Sex is for f@gs"

[DonkSlayer 1]

In a perfect world, matters of this should not be regulated by a higher organization, such as a school or government, etc, but rather by society's common sense of decency. So, he should be allowed to wear whatever he wants under the law of the state. Instead, when he wears something as offensive as this, he should be shunned by society or get the crap beaten out of him or whatever. His offence is one against the unstated and understood rules of society, and his punishment therefore should be imposed by the society that he offends.We should be condemning his schoolmates for ever talking again to someone who does something like this.

Regardless of whether I agree with your view on this particular issue or not, I agree with your proposed outcome.