http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/tinker.html

I actually just found out about this from listening to NPR, where their youth program was discussing student free speech, etc. Of course the example they used was of a student wearing a Bush = Terrorist shirt who was asked to change.

However, they mentioned this case from the Supreme Court, and it applies here as well.

IMO, partisan politics really have no place in elementary school or perhaps below 10th grade or maybe not in any public school.

I am not voting for Barack Obama
for reasons I shall not go into here.

However I think the teacher was spot-on;
I don’t think that shirt was appropriate for a classroom and sending the kid home was appropriate.
3-day suspension appears a bit over-the-top although I have a good feeling the kid was confrontational and so was his dad.

As far as a lawsuit goes the Dad’s money IMO would be far better spent by taking his kid out of public school and either home school or private school.

And I doubt the much stricter dress codes in private schools allow for partisan slogans such as “Obama the Terrorist’s Friend” or “McCain the Warmonger” …
in fact I am pretty sure many “conservative” private schools consider a T shirt as not completely dressed and will discipline any pupil showing up to school wearing a T shirt without an overshirt.

Of course these schools can also afford enough air-conditioning so kids won’t be smelling like goats come 2 pm if they wear full-dress.

I was explaining how his iconic image isn’t about socialism or murder or terrorism at all any more. It’s just style.

And we are saying that socialism or murder or terrorism should never be relegated or be in “style”.

You’re going a bang-up job of proving my point that people are more interested in immature insults than in actual discussion.

I was not defending Che Guevara, I was explaining how his iconic image isn’t about socialism or murder or terrorism at all any more. It’s just style.

Waaahhhhh, he called me a bird! Isn’t an owl a bird? I’d hardly call that an insult in this instance. I find it laughable that you think people aren’t trying to engage you in a discussion. The problem is that you don’t answer questions even though others answer yours. You use this blog as a soapbox to spew your liberal talking points.

Your excuse that you’re not defending Che is sad. What you are saying is that it’s ok to use a murdering,terrorist thug as a symbol because it’s all about style???? I guess we could start making shirts with Lenin and Hitler in the name of style according to your logic.

Omu, come ON! Defend Che? I lost what little respect I had hoped to have for you and shall hence forth join in with the crowd that has dubed you – emu.

You’re going a bang-up job of proving my point that people are more interested in immature insults than in actual discussion.

I was not defending Che Guevara, I was explaining how his iconic image isn’t about socialism or murder or terrorism at all any more. It’s just style.

On September 23rd, 2008 at 10:32 am, bansharia said:

I would like to know if the wee child had a full comprehension of what her shirt meant, I Pray not.
Am against using children by anyone for political expediancy….
strapping on bombs
endorsing gay sex in berkley
or this..
let the kids be kids

However, after you hear what the kid said, which was:

“They’re taking away my right of freedom of speech,” he says. “If I have the right to wear this shirt I’m going to use it. And if the only way to use it is get suspended, then I’m going to get suspended

I think that it is perfectly clear that this 5th grader absolutely “had a full comprehension of what her shirt meant”.

I have no idea why you would pray that he didn’t, for I am quite pleased myself that there is not only a child as old as he is that is more than intelligent enough to have that much of a grasp of what his rights are, especially in this day and age when the Liberal Brainwashing and Manipulation Campaign is reaching newer and scarier hights, and that the rights of anyone that does not follow along the Party lines gets ridiculed and punished by those whose only purpose is to teach them academia and NOT their personal political beliefs and prejudices.

I think that this is a prime example of exactly why he and all children in grade school should know and understand their Constitutional Rights. It is a far better and more important thing for them to learn starting in kindergarten than where to buy a condom and how to use it.

I say strong work to him AND his father.

He’s nothing more than an uneducated trailer trash redneck – something that America has in abundance!

You might be right. We do have redneck, trailer trash here, but I’ll take that over this:

Che Guevara’s legacy is still very popular in Europe.

The third biggest Swiss telecom company is using his symbole for their newest ad.

http://www.sunrise.ch/privatkunden/angebote/internet-festnetz/free-internet.htm

Sunrise is offering you free broadband internet access for life if you switch to them both your landline and mobile phone carrier.

You guys must be so proud of yourselves for holding a murdering thug up as a symbol. It’s as though you think it’s cool to promote him or maybe you work for this company.

I think I’ll take my chances with the redneck.

On September 23rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm, Irish Rose said:

I find it rather appalling, that so many people here are willing to justify and even defend the fathers’ behavior in this incident, simply because he’s a conservative.

I can only blame his irresponsible dad. He’s nothing more than an uneducated trailer trash redneck – something that America has in abundance! I feel really bad for the kid.