http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-12-04T144609Z_01_N16367782_RTRUKOC_0_US-COURT-BANNER.xml

Quote :

"Court to decide "Bong hits 4 Jesus" banner case By James Vicini WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would decide whether a high school principal violated a student's free-speech rights by suspending him for unfurling a banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." Student Joseph Frederick says the banner's language was designed to be meaningless and funny in an effort to get on television as the Winter Olympic torch relay passed by the school in Juneau, Alaska, in January 2002. But school officials say the phrase "bong hits" refers to smoking marijuana. Principal Deborah Morse suspended Frederick for 10 days because she said the banner advocates or promotes illegal drug use in violation of school policy. Frederick, 18, had been standing on a public sidewalk across the street from the school when Morse grabbed his banner and crumpled it. Students had been allowed to skip class to watch the relay. Frederick sued and sought the removal of the suspension from his records, a declaration that his rights had been violated and monetary damages. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, but a U.S. appeals court ruled for Frederick and said the principal can be held liable for damages. "A school cannot censor or punish students' speech merely because the students advocate a position contrary to government policy," the appeals court said. The principal and the Juneau School Board appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the U.S. Constitution's free-speech guarantee still allows public schools to bar students from displaying messages promoting use of illegal substances. Kenneth Starr, the former special prosecutor who investigated ex-President Bill Clinton over the Whitewater land deal and the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal, brought the appeal to the high court. "This case raises an issue of vital importance to every school principal and administrator in the country," said Starr, now dean at the Pepperdine Law School in California. Frederick's lawyer, Douglas Mertz, said schools cannot punish students for displaying messages off school property at events that are not sponsored or supervised by the school. He said the school admitted that Frederick did not disrupt or interfere with any school activities. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the case at the end of February, with a decision due by June. "

12/11/2006 6:37:55 PM

Two things:

1)

"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" I want that on a t-shirt


and

2)

Quote :

"schools cannot punish students for displaying messages off school property at events that are not sponsored or supervised by the school. "

strikes me as something that should be pretty cut and dry

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 7:23 PM. Reason : .]

12/11/2006 7:22:30 PM

i dont get the humor in the phrase

12/11/2006 7:55:18 PM

Quote :

""schools cannot punish students for displaying messages off school property at events that are not sponsored or supervised by the school. ""

argument could be made that this was on school time.. a technicality at best.

i think it was a pathetic attempt to get attention anyways so idk

12/11/2006 7:59:23 PM

i dont get the humor in the phrase

12/11/2006 10:56:21 PM

Quote :

"argument could be made that this was on school time.. a technicality at best."

the kid is 18, therefore he is legally an adult and does not fall under a school's "in loco parentis", so therefore he should be punished for any actions taken off campus even if during "school time"

12/11/2006 11:14:05 PM

Quote :

"schools cannot punish students for displaying messages off school property at events that are not sponsored or supervised by the school."

ncsu and raleigh need to understand this too. it's bullshit for ncsu to punish people for doing shit off campus.

[Edited on December 12, 2006 at 1:12 AM. Reason : ]

12/12/2006 1:11:58 AM

I could see the schools argument if the person was actually involved in something sponsored by the school or was on campus.

But, being off campus, and the event was not school sponsored, I don't see how the person should get suspended. Just because the student was across the street?

12/12/2006 1:28:36 AM

Quote :

"principal can be held liable for damages."

damn right.....
....I fucking hate authority figures who cross the line....
Anyone taking the side of the principal in this case is a fucking tool.

I hope every kid in that school wears "Bong hits 4 Jesus" T-shirts from now on....
....whatever "Bong hits 4 Jesus" means anyway.....

12/12/2006 2:35:37 AM

Quote :

"January 2002"

12/12/2006 9:35:43 AM

Quote :

"Mon Dec 4, 2006 9:46am"

ass.

12/12/2006 9:45:20 AM

yeah, i heard about this like 10 years ago.

also

Quote :

" ncsu and raleigh need to understand this too. it's bullshit for ncsu to punish people for doing shit off campus."

it's fucked up that ppl can get in trouble with the RPD AND NCSU if they get a party noise ticket. I'm so glad that i graduated and GTFO!

12/12/2006 9:46:31 AM

that is why if the PoPo come knocking, DON'T tell them your a NCSU student

12/12/2006 10:27:52 AM

Quote :

"1) "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" I want that on a t-shirt "

12/12/2006 11:47:07 AM

Quote :

"that is why if the PoPo come knocking, DON'T tell them your a NCSU student"

they look you up. i mean, if you're 18-25 and living within 10 miles of campus, it's safe to assume you're a student. they reference your name with the university.

12/12/2006 11:57:39 AM