You Be The Judge
Test your knowledge of the Five Freedoms and see how you match up to the courts...and fellow citizens.
Student Speech
A middle school student drew a picture of the Confederate flag in his math class. School officials learned of the drawing and suspended the student for violating its racial harassment and intimidation policy. That policy provided that "students shall not at school, on school property or at school activities wear or have in their possession any written material… that is racially divisive or creates ill-will or hatred." The student sued, claiming that the school officials violated his First Amendment rights.
Can a public school forbid a student from drawing a picture of the Confederate flag?
Vote Now!
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Vote AA. YESIf school officials have reason to believe a student's display of the Confederate flag would cause a substantial disruption or collide with the rights of others, they may censor the student's symbolic speech.
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Vote BB. YESStudents at public schools have no First Amendment rights. School is a place for children to be seen, not heard.
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Vote CC. NOAlthough schools may censor certain forms of student speech and dress, they may not censor a student merely for something he doodled on his notebook during math class. The rights of school officials to limit student expression are not absolute.
Icon of Freedom
Paul Robeson
Actor & Activist
Robeson, perhaps the greatest renaissance man the U.S. bore in the
twentieth century, used his platform as a
performer to speak out against fascism, racism, colonialism, and the
oppression of workers. Lloyd Brown, a
writer and long-time colleague of Robeson, called him "the most persecuted, the most ostracized, the most condemned black man
in America, then or ever."
