Mar 19, 2007 morse believed his bong hits 4 jesus banner was a prodrug message that schools should not tolerate. Supreme court heard arguments monday in the bong hits 4 jesus case, a free speech conflict that has caught the attention of religious litigators nationwide morse v. Supreme court heard arguments monday march 19 in the bong hits 4 jesus case, a free speech conflict that has caught the attention of religious litigators nationwide. In the case, an 18yearold alaska students unfurling of the sign on a public street near. Supreme court last week focused almost exclusively on freespeech issues for high school students while theyre in school or. When one does, it presents an opportunity for students to learn about and discuss the particular case and the constitution. The unbelievable bong hits 4 jesus case began on january 24, 2002 when juneau, alaska high school student joseph frederick unfurled a. Former whitewater special counsel kenneth starr petitioned the u. A case in which the court found an alaska public school principal had the right to suspend a student for holding up a bong hits 4 jesus. A high school seniors 14foot banner proclaiming bong hits 4 jesus gave the supreme court a provocative prop for a lively argument monday about the extent of schools control over. Supreme court taking up first major school freespeech case in nearly 40 years. The supreme court monday debated the case of a high school principal who suspended a student over a bong hits 4 jesus, banner displayed at a schoolsponsored event.
Frederick sued morse, and that case now is before the court. Principal deborah morse took away the banner and suspended frederick for ten days. Student speech and the educational mission argument after morse v. As such, the state had an important if not compelling interest in prohibitingpunishing such student speech. The case arose when high school principal deborah morse confiscated a banner bearing that slogan from senior joseph frederick. Frederick, the 2007 supreme court case conventionally known as bong hits 4 jesus. Frederick, invovled a student holding a banner that read bong hits 4 jesus at an olympic torch rally. Frederick may seem trivial and unworthy of class examination, it has attracted widespread interestand not just because of the banner at the center of the dispute, bong hits 4 jesus. I know what a bong is, i know who jesus is, i just dont get.
The justices accepted an appeal from a school board in juneau, alaska, after a federal appeals court allowed a lawsuit by the family of. Court to decide bong hits 4 jesus banner case reuters. Supreme court monday considers whether a highschool principal in alaska should have suspended a student for displaying a banner saying bong hits 4 jesus. May 12, 2008 frederick the bong hits case, and criticizes the supreme court for depreciating and diluting important first amendment values. Juneaudouglas high school principal deborah morse suspended joseph frederick after he displayed a banner reading bong hits 4 jesus across the street from the school during the 2002 winter olympics torch relay. Mar 19, 2007 justices hear bong hits freespeech case the supreme court reexamines the rights of students to exercise free speech in school. A perfect constitutional storm in alaskas capital kindle edition by foster, james c download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. How it came to the conclusion, however, was by analyzing the incredibly technical language thusly note all of the language. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. The court said the phrase bong hits 4 jesus reasonably could be viewed as promoting illegal drug use. A perfect constitutional storm in alaskas capital, in which he discusses morse v. Mar 18, 2007 a supreme court case about the freespeech rights of high school students has opened a fissure between the bush administration and its usual allies on the religious right. You can see the us supreme court opinion siding with the principal and against the suspended student at.
High court upholds students suspension for bong hits 4. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Joseph frederick drew the ire of his school principal in juneau, alaska, on january 24, 2002, when the then 18yearold student unveiled the huge banner in front of television cameras as. Jun 25, 2007 the supreme court ruled against a former high school student monday in the bong hits 4 jesus banner case a split decision that limits students free speech rights. A united conservative majority of the supreme court ruled today in morse v. Bong hits 4 jesus case general facts frederick a senior high school unfurled a from bule 302 at george mason university. Bong hits 4 jesus, which she regarded as promoting illegal drug use. Bong hits 4 jesus goes to the supreme court by tom kizzia in the anchorage daily news is a good feature on the case, with additional information about frederick and his difficulties since the banner incident. Supreme court to take up alaskas bong hits 4 jesus case, a dispute involving a high school student, a banner and a. Bong hits 4 jesus case aftermaththe legal fees the. The court also ruled that to limit such speech was a violation of fredericks constitutional rights. A student who unfurled a bong hits 4 jesus banner has a date monday at the supreme court in what is shaping up as an important test of constitutional rights. Bong hits 4 jesus and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. It was certainly not intended as a drug or religious message.
March 15, 2007 joseph frederick, a student rebel halfway through his senior year of high school, tried the patience of his principal when he displayed a drugreferenced sign reading bong. Justices will hear a case involving a student from alaska, who is. Supreme court to deconstruct bong hits 4 jesus and decide for the rest of. No protection for bong hits 4 jesus lowering the bar. Jun 25, 2007 early today the us supreme court overturned a 9th circuit decision in the case of morse v. Supreme court uses bong hits 4 jesus case to limit. Frederick is the high court s first student speech case in nearly 20 years, and comes at a time when school administrators and students regularly battle over religious activities in public. Bong hits 4 jesus case at the supreme court updated 6. Latest news bong hits 4 jesus goes to the supreme court. Bong hits 4 jesus ruling raises questions about students. I also draw important lessons from the justices differing views and suggest what they portend more generally for the likely direction of the current united states supreme court.
Frederick, bringing the case better known as bong hits 4 jesus into widespread public attention. Aug, 2007 on june 25, 2007, the supreme court decided morse v. The supreme court heard arguments monday in the case of joseph frederick, the alaska high school student who was suspended for displaying a bong hits 4 jesus banner. Fredericks, aka bong hits 4 jesus, is a first amendment freespeech case. The original bong hits for jesus banner that led to a supreme court. Justice souter remarked that bong hits 4 jesus sounds like just a kids provocative statement to me.
Student in supreme court free speech case speaks about. The socalled bong hits for jesus case previously made headlines not only for its unusual. Juneau, alaska several students unfurled a banner during relay that read, bong hits 4 jesus court decided school district was within its rights to discipline the students since they were at a school event and the bannerpromoted drug usage and officials could not be sued for monetary damages for carrying out their legal responsibilities. Bong hits 4 jesus case general facts frederick a senior high. The groups have put aside their differences to support a former high school student who was punished for holding a sign declaring, bong hits 4 jesus. As such, the state had an important if not compelling. Scotus no bong hits 4 jesus dallas criminal defense. A divided supreme court on monday curtailed freespeech rights for students, ruling against a teenager who unfurled a banner saying bong hits 4 jesus. Does it mean the speaker believes jesus supports marijuana use. Former supreme court justice john paul stevens talked about students rights in schools and talked about the decision in the supreme court case morse v. She justified her actions by citing the schools policy against the display of material that promotes the use of illegal. The case involved a high school principal who confiscated a students bong hits 4 jesus banner during a schoolsanctioned event across from the school.
The courts feeble effort to divine its hidden mean. Mar 19, 2007 at a schoolsupervised event, joseph frederick held up a banner with the message bong hits 4 jesus, a slang reference to marijuana smoking. Life could bong hits 4 jesus case chill free speech in schools. Morse believed his bong hits 4 jesus banner was a prodrug message that schools should not tolerate. Jun 28, 2007 the us supreme court moved monday to tighten limits on free speech for high school students, ruling that an alaska high school could constitutionally punish a student who held up a 14footlong banner reading bong hits 4 jesus during a schoolrelated event. Frederick denies that his bong hits 4 jesus banner was intended to promote drug use.
Could bong hits 4 jesus case chill free speech in schools. John brigham, university of massachusetts, amherst. Professor james foster talks about his book, bong hits 4 jesus, in which he discusses morse v. Bong hits case may reverberate online network world. Justices to hear landmark freespeech case by robert barnes in the washington post. To the extent the court independently finds that bong hits 4 jesus objectively amounts to the advocacy of illegal drug usein other words, that it. He did so during a privatelysponsored rally where townspeople watched the.
In a feisty session over a students bong hits 4 jesus banner, former independent counsel kenneth starr urged the supreme court monday to let public schools ban signs, buttons or other messages that undercut their antidrug policy. Washington cnn the supreme court entered into a freespeech dispute friday involving a high school student suspended over a bong hits 4 jesus banner. To the extent the court independently finds that bong hits 4 jesus objectively amounts to the advocacy of illegal drug usein other words, that it can most reasonably be interpreted as suchthat conclusion practically refutes itself. The supreme court ruled against a former high school student monday in the bong hits 4 jesus banner case a split decision that limits students free speech rights. As the olympic torch relay passed outside of joseph fredericks school in juneau, alaska, he unfurled a sign that read bong hits 4 jesus. In his view, he was making a statement about free speech itself. One of the most hotlydiscussed cases of this supreme court term was morse v. Supreme court rules against student in bong hits 4 jesus. Supreme court hears bong hits 4 jesus politics nbc news. Supreme court, where the nationally watched bong hits 4 jesus case will test the limits of free speech in public schools. Early today the us supreme court overturned a 9th circuit decision in the case of morse v. The supreme court ruled june 25 in the bong hits 4 jesus case that schools do not violate astudents first amendment freespeech rights by punishing speech thatappears to promote drugs at a schoolsanctioned event.
In the present case, the majority acknowledged that the constitution affords lesser protections to certain types of student speech at school or schoolsupervised events. Mar 23, 2007 a student holds up a sign off campus, mind you that reads bong hits 4 jesus and now the supreme court is being asked to jump to the conclusion that the message glorifies drug culture. His case is going to the sc regarding the violation of his right to free speech. It held that fredericks speech was protected, because it did not fall into any of three kinds of. Supreme court hears bong hits 4 jesus case nbc news. It found that frederick message was, by his own admission, not political, as was the case in tinker. Juneau, alaska ap former whitewater special counsel kenneth starr petitioned the u. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading bong hits 4 jesus. The supreme court on monday heard arguments in an unusual free speech case that found christian groups and the american civil liberties union aclu on the same side of the debate. Press attention on the bong hits 4 jesus case heard by the u. In a case involving a juneau, alaska, high school student suspended for unfurling a banner that read bong hits 4 jesus, several justices seemed wary about giving a principal too much. In upholding the 10day suspension of an alaska high school senior for raising a banner that read bong hits 4 jesus at a schoolsanctioned event outside campus, the court majority insisted it. The supreme court ruled against free speech for students today. High court gets bong hits 4 jesus case us news life.
Mondays supreme court ruling against a high school students bong hits 4 jesus banner has brought the topic of students freespeech rights. Frederick said that the phrase bong hits 4 jesus was never meant to have any substantive meaning. Supreme court hears bong hits 4 jesus case fox news. Frederick that there is no first amendment protection for a student who unfurled a banner supporting bong hits 4 jesus across the street from his school. As scores of curious students milled in and around the. At a schoolsupervised event, joseph frederick held up a banner with the message bong hits 4 jesus, a slang reference to marijuana smoking.
Jan 08, 2009 supreme court rules against bong hits 4 jesus student. Mar 18, 2007 tomorrow the us supreme court will hear arguments in what will inevitably be known to future generations of law students as the bong hits 4 jesus case technically entitled morse v. Today the supreme court found that the phrase bong hits 4 jesus meant advocating or promoting the use of illegal drugs. As such, the state had an important if not compelling interest. Sep 16, 20 bong hits 4 jesus banner on display at the newseum in washington, d. This high school kid made a banner that read bong hits 4 jesus on it and was suspended from school for it. Finding that the message frederick displayed was by his own admission not political in nature, as was the case in tinker, the court said the phrase bong hits 4 jesus. Us supreme court to take up bong hits 4 jesus case. Bong hits 4 jesus as a cautionary tale of two cities by. The precipitious slide in supreme court protection for free speech in high school since tinker in the 1960s is only part of the story. Mar 19, 2007 the supreme court monday debated the case of a high school principal who suspended a student over a bong hits 4 jesus, banner displayed at a schoolsponsored event. Mar 19, 2007 a high school seniors 14foot banner proclaiming bong hits 4 jesus gave the supreme court a provocative prop for a lively argument monday about the extent of schools control over. Washington the supreme court tightened limits on student speech monday, ruling against a high school student and his 14footlong bong hits 4 jesus banner. The supreme courts bong hits 4 jesus first amendment.
The us supreme court moved monday to tighten limits on free speech for high school students, ruling that an alaska high school could constitutionally punish a student who held up a 14footlong banner reading bong hits 4 jesus during a schoolrelated event. Supreme court to take up alaskas bong hits 4 jesus case, a dispute involving a high school student, a banner and a tough school policy. It held that fredericks speech was protected, because it. Freespeech case divides bush and religious right the new. Frederick, the supreme court case that addressed free speech in an american high school. Joseph fredericks unfurling of his bong hits 4 jesus banner was the subject of one of the supreme courts most highprofile cases. Frederick, better known as the bong hits 4 jesus case.
Student loses ruling over bong hits 4 jesus reuters. Mar 05, 2011 washington cnn the supreme court ruled against a former high school student monday in the bong hits 4 jesus banner case a split decision that limits students free speech rights. The principle of the school, patricia morse, felt the banner had a pro drug message and made him take it down and suspended frederick for 10 days. The frederick case grew out of an incident in which juneau, alaska high school senior joseph frederick unfurled a banner reading bong hits 4 jesus on a public sidewalk.
The supreme court said on friday it would decide whether a high school principal violated a students freespeech rights by suspending him for unfurling a banner that read bong hits 4 jesus. Guest post by drj in june 2007, the supreme court decided the bong hits 4 jesus case that patterico analyzed here. Writing 4 the majority of 5, chief justice roberts joined by kennedy, alito, scalia, and, surprisingly. Starr, who gained national prominence while investigating former president clintons whitewater land deal and relationship with monica lewinsky, filed the. The supreme court examines monday a case raising questions over free speech rights in us high schools as it hears arguments over a students unfurling of a quirky banner proclaiming bong hits 4 jesus. Supreme court ruled against an alaska high school student suspended in 2002 for unfurling a 14foot banner bearing the words bong hits 4 jesus during a. In a better world, the phrase bong hits 4 jesus would take its place in the library of.
749 1247 1087 1366 524 1075 1190 379 76 314 229 121 876 1600 1569 460 918 690 783 593 790 1485 33 1480 1033 613 458 1400 1659 1457 105 374 508 469 752 780 299 1470 1038