Morse Vs Frederick Case Study

Morse vs. Frederick

In 2007 during a school’s Winter Olympics Torch Relay, a student by the name of Joseph Frederick held up a banner stating “BONG HiTS 4 JESUS” and he was promptly suspended from school. Soon after his suspension, Frederick filed a lawsuit against the school stating that they “Violated his right to freedom of speech.” The school very quickly denied these allegations stating that he gives up some of his rights when he comes to school, although this did not happen on school grounds. This case arose through the different courts and eventually made it to the Supreme Court where he fought for his constitutional right.

The school’s Winter Olympics Torch Relay, the principal of said school saw students unravel a banner revealing “BONG HiTS 4 JESUS.” She perceived the banner as promoting illegal drug use, which she had been consistent about prohibiting over her career. She immediately told them to take it down or they would be punished, and the main person who orchestrated this event, Joseph Frederick, refused. For refusing he had the banner confiscated and he was suspended. He claimed that the banner “did not promote illegal drug use” and was only used to attract cameras for attention. Frederick believed that Morse was violating his right to freedom …show more content…
Des Moines) where a group of high school students wore black armbands to their school to protest the vietnam war. Although this case was decided in favor of the protestors as they were not being disruptive to the school, and was passive. Their speech cannot be censored just because it makes others feel “uncomfortable.” Morse vs. Frederick was a very different case as it was a reasonable punishment as it could be easily taken as promoting illegal drug use and it was ruled that the censorship was necessary. In spite of the facts stated above, both cases were attempting to protect their first amendment rights, whether one of them was won and one was

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