Freedom Of Speech Should Be Allowed In Schools Essay

The Hazelwood ruling is unnecessary, because as Americans, we have the freedom of speech, even in school. Students should be able to write about what they want or talk about what they want, because this will help them make decisions when they are older. Students should be able to have the freedom of speech in school, and not have to leave their rights outside of the door. A student in Charleston, West Virginia, was charged when he was accused for causing a disruption in his middle school when he refused to remove a shirt that displayed the National Rifle Association’s logo and hunting rifle. Jared Marcum says, "The shirt did not violate Logan Middle School's dress code policy" (W.Va. Student, school at odds over NRA t-shirt). The student …show more content…
Jared Marcum said “When the police came, I was still talking and telling them that this was wrong, that they cannot do this, it’s not against any school policy. The officer, he told me to sit down and be quiet. I said, ‘No, I’m exercising my right to free speech.’ I said it calmly" (W.Va. Student, school at odds over NRA t-shirt). The police charged Jared with disrupting an educational process and obstructing an officer. Jared was making a decision to defend himself against what he believed in; he knew that he should have been able to wear his shirt in accordance with the first amendment. Some people think that the Hazelwood ruling is necessary, because some things are harmful to others, and can make the school look bad. These people are right, and that some things do not belong in school, but students have the right to be able to use their amendments, especially in school. However, some things just shouldn't be allowed, such as, anything inappropriate or giving students and teachers threats. An example would be when a high school student in Huntington, New York, said that he was “going to just blow this place up" (Students talk of blowing up school not