Bong Hits for Jesus

This just in! A groundbreaking decision was made in the Supreme Court today, over the case Morse v. Frederick. The Court has ruled that students free speech rights can, in fact, be limited while at school - depending on the circumstances. In Juneau, Alaska, 18 year old Joseph Frederick displayed a 14-foot banner with the words "BONG HiTS 4 JESUS" on a public sidewalk outside his school. The banner was confiscated and Frederick suspended, so he filed suit against the principal of his school, claiming his First Amendment rights had been infringed upon. When the case finally reached the Supreme Court, the Court ruled against Frederick in a 6-3 majority. Along with Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, and Samuel Alito voted with the majority. The dissenters were John Paul Stevens, David Souter, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The principal of the school, Deborah Morse, had felt that she "was empowered to enforce the school board's written policies at that time aimed at keeping illegal substances out of the school environment." In the majority opinion, Roberts concurred: "It was reasonable for (the principal) to conclude that the banner promoted illegal drug use-- and that failing to act would send a powerful message to the students in her charge." The bottom line? Students do not have a constitutional right to advocate illegal drug use at school!

Corey