Wednesday, January 10, 2007

You have the right to remain silent, but not to say why

Middle school principal outlaws pro-life speech during national Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity
At least a week before the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity was scheduled to take place, the mother of the pro-life student phoned Shenendehowa Central School District's superintendent and spoke to a representative about her son's plans. She left her name and phone number, but was not informed that the event violated any school or district policy.

On October 24, Gowana Middle School's principal told the student to turn his pro-life t-shirt inside out and cease distribution of fliers. In a school-wide announcement, the principal demanded that students who received a flier forfeit them to school officials. She allowed the student to remain silent, but prohibited him from telling anyone why, and forced him to remove a piece of red tape from his mouth that read "Life." The principal allegedly said "students shouldn't be thinking about issues like that at your age." School officials have previously allowed students to engage in free expression on other controversial social issues.

Middle school students are old enough to be dying from safe and legal abortions (Deanna Bell comes to mind) but they're "too young" to have an opinion about it.

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