U.S. Supreme Court hears case on student's free speech

A teenager dropped a few F-bombs in frustration - not at a teacher, or a school administrator, and not even using a school-issued computer; she did not bully anyone, did not advocate hate or violence against any group or individual - and she got booted off the team? Wow. I better hope that when my teen swears up a storm in their room because their U.S. history assignment is not going well, the school doesn't get a whiff of their frustration. /s

Once school is over and a student leaves the school grounds nobody in any school should have anything to say one way or the other about what a kid does or doesn't do on their own time. That is the responsibility of the parents and the student to work out. As a parent the teachers and staff of our kid's school have no business intruding into our home life. If our kid does something bad it is my wife's and my responsibility to deal with. The school has no business sticking their noses into our private lives outside of school.

No clue how to judge this one. It seems impossible to write one rule that can account for every situation.

I would like to ask the teachers/administrators who enforced this rule, if they would like the same scrutiny on THEM. Technology is sadly giving nosy neighbours and squinty-eyed petty tyrants more power than they have ever had.

I’m so glad I raised my kids properly, If you have to use vulgar language it basically means you failed at parenting and properly teaching your kids on how to communicate to use the English language and having a lack of vernacular, you have to use profanity and gross gestures to get your point across? Sad and pathetic.

Sorry, should elaborate.

Swearing is part of every day life and there's nothing wrong with it. I'd be more concerned about threatening, violent language which permeates every inch of space. Online and in the real world, people are subjected to a lot worse than some "harsh" language.

In my home country, swearing is a feckin' art form.

The bounds of school have been greyed in the US. Many students are using online classes with teachers, so they aren't ever "in school." Does that mean they can speak anyway they want over Zoom?

When I was in school, there was no freedom of speech for non-adults. That was clear.

My kids weren't allowed to swear and that standard was known to them and their friends. Teaching control of ones outbursts was the goal.

I don't know what the court should do. Sometimes laws need interpretation and this will be carefully interpreted to apply to only this exact case. But I haven't any clue.

bass4funkToday  09:38 am JST

I’m so glad I raised my kids properly, If you have to use vulgar language it basically means you failed at parenting and properly teaching your kids on how to communicate to use the English language and having a lack of vernacular, you have to use profanity and gross gestures to get your point across? Sad and pathetic.

It's not the school's business what the students do outside of it. One major problem is parents themselves use bad language at their kids in public. I've seen a dad use an f-bomb in a bookstore at his daughter who looked about 9 y/o, much too young to know what the word means.

And when I was in the first grade there was a stupid bully kid who called everyone an 'MF' because he thought he was 'cool' but he looked like a fool.

Since our excuse of a President Trump constantly popped off his chops and stank his diapers in public, looking like a fool then this HS school also has the right to do so as well. Growing up comes with responsibility and if she wants to make an idiot of herself by cursing because she didn't make the squad then let her. There's more to life than prancing with pom-poms and she's about to face adult life soon. There's more to life than cheerleading.

It's not the school's business what the students do outside of it.

To a point, yes, but she also represents the school and if she wants to be on any cheerleading team then the school does have the right to ask her about her conduct and ask her to represent the school in a more professional light.

One major problem is parents themselves use bad language at their kids in public. I've seen a dad use an f-bomb in a bookstore at his daughter who looked about 9 y/o, much too young to know what the word means. 

I understand and I have seen that myself many times, that's also a part of the problem where parents don't properly teach their kids to listen to people of authority or disregard what they say.

Since our excuse of a President Trump constantly popped off his chops and stank his diapers in public,

Ok, I know, I know you hate Trump, but this has nothing to do with him and definitely, when you see his kids, they don't act like that or are belligerent with the English language, so he did do something right as a parent,

Growing up comes with responsibility and if she wants to make an idiot of herself by cursing because she didn't make the squad then let her. There's more to life than prancing with pom-poms and she's about to face adult life soon. There's more to life than cheerleading.

Yes, true, but all it takes is one idiot to ruin it for everyone.

One would think the United States Supreme Court had more important things on which to deliberate than something as trivial as whether free speech entitles a disgruntled high school cheerleader to spew profanity while throwing a hissy fit.

students should enjoy the same rights as adults elsewhere

Except that they obviously don't; if they did they'd be adults and not kids. Under the age of majority, you do not have the same rights as adults - no drinking, no sex, no smoking, no voting, no mortgage. No flipping the finger at folk in a position to slap you down (though I suppose that applies to adults too - tell the bucho what you really think of him, and then enjoy sitting at your desk down the corridor next to a window, counting paperclips.)

Freedom of speech means the guvmint can't throw you in jail or worse on account of what you say. It doesn't mean there are no consequences to bad-mouthing the folk you interact with day to day. Especially if those folk are in a position to decide what privileges you have earned or forfeited.

Trump, ..... when you see his kids, they don't act like that or are belligerent with the English language, so he did do something right as a parent

it's my understanding that Trump has had nothing to do with the raising of any of his children (with the exception of his Daddy-cuddling, lap-dancing daughter) until they reached adulthood, so maybe that's what he did right - stayed out of it.

Pity he didn't take the same approach to politics.

all it takes is one idiot to ruin it for everyone

One idiot, with 73 million zombie followers.

I would like to ask the teachers/administrators who enforced this rule, if they would like the same scrutiny on THEM. 

I think teachers are subject to similar rules. A teacher behaving badly outside of work is likely to face consequences. Of course, what constitutes "bad behavior" is always up for discussion.

Except that they obviously don't; if they did they'd be adults and not kids. Under the age of majority, you do not have the same rights as adults - no drinking, no sex, no smoking, no voting, no mortgage. No flipping the finger at folk in a position to slap you down (though I suppose that applies to adults too - tell the bucho what you really think of him, and then enjoy sitting at your desk down the corridor next to a window, counting paperclips.)

Freedom of speech means the guvmint can't throw you in jail or worse on account of what you say. It doesn't mean there are no consequences to bad-mouthing the folk you interact with day to day. Especially if those folk are in a position to decide what privileges you have earned or forfeited.

Huh? Lol, anyway…..

it's my understanding that Trump has had nothing to do with the raising of any of his children

No, he did more liberal junk floating around. My dad worked all the time, but when he could like most dads he took part in the upbringing their kids, the holds true for Obama and Biden, these men were always present in our lives and there’s as well.

Pity he didn't take the same approach to politics.

Thank God! Then people definitely wouldn’t have voted for him

One idiot, with 73 million zombie followers.

Look Biden is trying, but I agree these people are exactly that. Hopefully in 4 years Trump and the GOP will wake them up from the apocalypse.