Friday, April 23, 2021

CHEERLEADER CASE HEADED TO SCOTUS

by Bob Walsh

This is one of those cases where the facts are not really in question.  Four years ago Brandi Levy had just tried out for the varsity cheerleading squad at Mahanoy Area High School in Pennsylvania.  She got passed over, still relegated to the JV squad.  She was pissed.

So, on a Saturday (not school day), while at a convenience store (not on school grounds) the 14-year old pulled out her cell phone and unloaded.  Her snapchat video included her flipping the bird into the camera and a little bit of vulgarity.  She expressed some level of unhappiness with pretty much everything.  No threats of violence, nothing nasty about any one person.  As "punishment" the school vanished her from the cheerleading squad for a year.  

Next week SCOTUS is going to hear the case of just how far constitutional rights to free speech go.

The Third Circuit Court has already heard the case, and sided with Ms. Levy.  The school appealed, and SCOTUS agreed to hear the case.  Thus far the Harris-Biden administration is supporting the school (huge surprise there....not) making a vague assertion that her tirade somehow threatened the smooth operation of the school.

The original lawsuit resulted in the judge ordering the school to reinstate her on the squad.  

The precedent being looked at, Tinker v. DesMoines Independent Community School District, is from 1969.  It is not clear if that precedent also restricts off-campus speach.  That is what this case will address.  The ACLU, which is representing Ms. Levy, asserts that allowing school administrators to "police" student speach anywhere on the planet is a bridge too far.

1 comment:

Trey said...

I remember getting in a fight after school in the 6th grade. We made sure we weren't on school grounds so we wouldn't get in trouble. Several kids witnessed our pugilistic abilities for a few minutes until the Principal showed up and took us to his office. Once there, a couple of male teachers came in and witnessed the paddling we received. The Principal told us that when we left school grounds, he was still responsible for us until we arrived home. I told him I didn't think that was right and nearly got another beating. When I got home, my Dad said, "I heard you been fighting and got in trouble at school." I replied, "Yes, Sir." Nothing else was said.