Freedom of Speech Trampled on in Colorado School

[busara]

i disagree with children being used for political fodder

i disagree with children being used to further any agenda.

and the dad here is a dick. he probably knew this would happen and is trying to make some easy money at the expense of his kid

 

[DiveCon]

i disagree with children being used to further any agenda.

and the dad here is a dick. he probably knew this would happen and is trying to make some easy money at the expense of his kid

the dad might be
but you realize that political fodder is basically pushing an agenda, right?

 

[Mr. President]

Even if he is expressing his dad's opinion its either all or nothing with political t shirts. We can't promote wearing shirts that insult the current President and then punish kids for insulting someone who has never held the title of President of the United States

If the shirt said IN MY OPINION on the bottom would he still have gotten suspended?
Does the fact that Obama is friends with a terrorist make the shirt fact and therefore acceptable?

 

[Navy1960]

if the school has a policy of no political shirts allowed, then they are in the right, if they allow other politicals shirts, then they opened the can of worms and now they are in the wrong


but i agree that this is more likely an expression of his dads thoughts more so than his own
i disagree with children being used for political fodder

I really can't answer the question as to what that school districts policy was Dive. I know when my daughter was in school, that they had a policy called "inappropriate" which basically meant if the schools administration and staff felt that the manner of dress was not appropriate then they could send the child home to change. I thing it's completely wrong to use children to forward a political agenda or view.

 

[jschuck12001]

if the school has a policy of no political shirts allowed, then they are in the right, if they allow other politicals shirts, then they opened the can of worms and now they are in the wrong


but i agree that this is more likely an expression of his dads thoughts more so than his own
i disagree with children being used for political fodder

What the hell do middle schoolers know about politics, I feel sorry for that kid because obviously his parents have issues. I cant stand bush but I would never send my kid to school with a t-shirt that rips him. I would be embarrassed as a parent. Some people shouldn't be allowed to procreate but thats another topic. Anyone who thinks this shirt is ok has issues.

 

[Jon]

What the hell do middle schoolers know about politics, I feel sorry for that kid because obviously his parents have issues. I cant stand bush but I would never send my kid to school with a t-shirt that rips him. I would be embarrassed as a parent. Some people shouldn't be allowed to procreate but thats another topic. Anyone who thinks this shirt is ok has issues.

Fifth graders are what...10-11? I was old enough to understand some political issues at that age. Hell, some kids that age are smarter than adults.

 

[jschuck12001]

Fifth graders are what...10-11? I was old enough to understand some political issues at that age. Hell, some kids that age are smarter than adults.

10-11 year old are not smarter than adults, Maybe in Arkansas they are but not where I come from and I have 2 kids and 2 nieces. My nieces are the same age as the kid in question and they get great grades but they play sports and do things that kids do, what kind of perspective could you possibly have at 11 years old. I'm not surprised you come back with that lame response. Please tell me what political issues you understood when you were 11 years old. I cant wait to hear Jsanders.

 

[DiveCon]

10-11 year old are not smarter than adults, Maybe in Arkansas they are but not where I come from and I have 2 kids and 2 nieces. My nieces are the same age as the kid in question and they get great grades but they play sports and do things that kids do, what kind of perspective could you possibly have at 11 years old. I'm not surprised you come back with that lame response. Please tell me what political issues you understood when you were 11 years old. I cant wait to hear Jsanders.

he did say "some"
and i agree, "SOME" kids are smarter than "SOME" adults

 

[Mr. President]

10-11 year old are not smarter than adults, Maybe in Arkansas they are but not where I come from and I have 2 kids and 2 nieces. My nieces are the same age as the kid in question and they get great grades but they play sports and do things that kids do, what kind of perspective could you possibly have at 11 years old. I'm not surprised you come back with that lame response. Please tell me what political issues you understood when you were 11 years old. I cant wait to hear Jsanders.

Some of us are just gifted. Of course my dad watched the news and i sat with him every evening and at 12 you do have the cognitive ability to sift through information and form your own opinion. Isn't that politics?

 

[manifold]

Some of us are just gifted. Of course my dad watched the news and i sat with him every evening and at 12 you do have the cognitive ability to sift through information and form your own opinion. Isn't that politics?

So what happened?

Stroke? Car accident?

 

[jschuck12001]

Some of us are just gifted. Of course my dad watched the news and i sat with him every evening and at 12 you do have the cognitive ability to sift through information and form your own opinion. Isn't that politics?

Oh your gifted, ok that changes everything. I'm not buying what your selling, but I'm glad your gifted, what do you do for a living since you are so gifted?

 

[jillian]

Oh your gifted, ok that changes everything. I'm not buying what your selling, but I'm glad your gifted, what do you do for a living since you are so gifted?

I don't know if it's about being gifted, but it is about interest. I participated in my first political campaign at about 12. It's also about being a participant... and I always went to vote with my parents...and they would talk to me about issues. My son goes to vote with us and has always shown interest in political issues, though probably not to the extent that I did at his age.

However, I DO think that someone telling their child that someone who believes differently is a "terrorist" is pretty disgusting.

 

[Jon]

10-11 year old are not smarter than adults, Maybe in Arkansas they are but not where I come from and I have 2 kids and 2 nieces. My nieces are the same age as the kid in question and they get great grades but they play sports and do things that kids do, what kind of perspective could you possibly have at 11 years old. I'm not surprised you come back with that lame response. Please tell me what political issues you understood when you were 11 years old. I cant wait to hear Jsanders.

War, democracy, taxes (what they are, when they're high/low, but the fundamentals of how taxation actually works was far beyond me), fundamental rights. Those are pretty basic concepts that are taught in some social studies classes.

I never said I had a good perspective on the issues, I said I understood some of them. I don't think a lot of 18 year olds have decent perspective, because most are just now leaving their parents' home and getting out on their own. Yet they are allowed to vote.

There have been 11 year olds who have started college, and who grasp complex thought better than most Presidents. I read about an 11 year old boy who had already received a college degree and was trying to enter graduate school. It happens. Doesn't mean the common 10 or 11 year old is that smart, but it doesn't mean you have to be a genius to have an opinion on basic political principles.

Maybe the kid is a gun-owner and didn't like being called bitter. Who knows?

Your pot-shot at Arkansas was nice, though. Another example of your being a dick for no reason towards me.

 

[Abelian Sea]

It shouldn't matter whether a shirt is political or not, what should matter is whether the shirt is disruptively distracting.

Making that decision should be left to the "troops on the ground" who regularly deal with the specific groups of students involved.

Ideally, anyway. Of course, ideally, teachers would be professional enough to not let partisan rancor skew their disciplinary decisions and parents would present a unified front with the school office. Reality is messier.

In this particular case, though, it looks to me like the kid was thumbing his nose at the school and the school came down on him.

 

[Ravi]

Even if he is expressing his dad's opinion its either all or nothing with political t shirts. We can't promote wearing shirts that insult the current President and then punish kids for insulting someone who has never held the title of President of the United States

If the shirt said IN MY OPINION on the bottom would he still have gotten suspended?
Does the fact that Obama is friends with a terrorist make the shirt fact and therefore acceptable?

I think most schools have rules against politicking on school grounds.

 

[busara]

but you realize that political fodder is basically pushing an agenda, right?

why do you think i posted what i did?

 

[manifold]

Bong Hits for Jesus!

 

[DiveCon]

why do you think i posted what i did?

ah, it seemed like you were attempting to take a counter argument to what i said
my mistake then

 

[jschuck12001]

I don't know if it's about being gifted, but it is about interest. I participated in my first political campaign at about 12. It's also about being a participant... and I always went to vote with my parents...and they would talk to me about issues. My son goes to vote with us and has always shown interest in political issues, though probably not to the extent that I did at his age.

However, I DO think that someone telling their child that someone who believes differently is a "terrorist" is pretty disgusting.

Well that was my point Jillian, Its not normal that most kids that age would be into politics so thinking this kid was expressing his own feelings seems a bit of a stretch. My best friend was a national merit scholar and went to Princeton but he never talked about politics, I think you were an exception to the rule and so was Jsanders.

 

[Shogun]

hmmm.. im conflicted.. initially i'd side with the kid. I mean, I thought it was ridiculous that the "bong hits 4 jesus" guy was allowed to be raked over the coals off campus so, clearly, there is precedence for the school district to suspend the kid for WHAT THEY PERCIEVE as creating a disturbance. However, I personally don't think either should have been suspended. this IS an election year. This kid, as a vicarious billboard for parent or nor, IS expressing a political opinion. It's not like the kid had an iron image of a sliced up anti abortion fetus or an add for NIGGERMANIA.COM.