A recent Supreme Court ruling has hindered freedom of speech for high school students. Will it have an effect on the UA?
By: Jennifer Tramm
Issue date: 7/2/07 Section: News
With the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the suspension of a high school senior in Alaska in 2002 for posting a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus," the message has been delivered: Freedom of speech goes only so far for students.
But there are different rules that apply to high school students that do not apply to students at colleges and universities, said Diane Newman, UA Mall coordinator, and therefore freedom of speech on this campus should not change.
"There are no restrictions" currently on banners and posters displayed on the Mall, Newman added. "It's free speech."
Noting the recent graphic displays on the Mall by an anti-abortion group as an example of how far students have gone, Newman said, "A lot of people didn't like it, but it happened."
As long as a group is in an appropriate space, they can put up whatever they want, she said, as long as it is not doing anything illegal.
The "appropriate space" could mean a space that an organization may reserve on the Mall for their activities, but could also refer to the "Free Speech Area" on campus, as well, according to campus policies.
That area, located from the Alumni Plaza to east of the Krutch Cactus Garden on the Mall,may be used, according to UA policy, "without advance reservations and\or scheduling for free-expression activities, including the passing of petitions, distribution of written information, picketing, and carrying of placards."
"The reason that we have zones, is because we are trying to define a place where people can engage in dialogue and express their opinions about anything, in a place that doesn't disrupt academia," said Peter Likins, UA president from 1997-2006. "Anyone should be free to express their opinions on campus, and they should be free not only to speak, but to listen."
But there are different rules that apply to high school students that do not apply to students at colleges and universities, said Diane Newman, UA Mall coordinator, and therefore freedom of speech on this campus should not change.
"There are no restrictions" currently on banners and posters displayed on the Mall, Newman added. "It's free speech."
Noting the recent graphic displays on the Mall by an anti-abortion group as an example of how far students have gone, Newman said, "A lot of people didn't like it, but it happened."
As long as a group is in an appropriate space, they can put up whatever they want, she said, as long as it is not doing anything illegal.
The "appropriate space" could mean a space that an organization may reserve on the Mall for their activities, but could also refer to the "Free Speech Area" on campus, as well, according to campus policies.
That area, located from the Alumni Plaza to east of the Krutch Cactus Garden on the Mall,
"It's a hard battle, because who is to say what can and can't be said."
- Tommy Bruce, ASUA President
"The reason that we have zones, is because we are trying to define a place where people can engage in dialogue and express their opinions about anything, in a place that doesn't disrupt academia," said Peter Likins, UA president from 1997-2006. "Anyone should be free to express their opinions on campus, and they should be free not only to speak, but to listen."
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L Pl
posted 7/07/07 @ 8:17 PM MST
Just when we thaought it couldn't get any worse. . . Roberts replaced Renquist. King George's appointees (along with the other Repubican appointees) have to grasp at straws to find a "drug message" in the banner to continue with the "King can do no wrong" Policy. (Continued…)
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