Monday, March 30, 2015

Free Speech Not Unlimited

Reuters reports via Yahoo News the Supreme Court has held student First Amendment rights were not violated. School officials would not permit them to wear US flag t-shirts to school during a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

The school had experienced white vs. Hispanic violence and gang activity. Administrators feared the flag shirts would incite fighting.

The Supremes let stand an Appeals Court ruling holding school administrators were within their rights to ban the shirts. Presumably the "can't yell fire in a crowded theater" exception to freedom of speech applied here.

I reluctantly agree with the finding, given the explosive situation at the school.