In 1966, in a packed hearing in Delano, California, then New York Senator, Robert F Kennedy, was arguing with the county sheriff, LeRoy Gaylen. LeRoy had arrested union organizers who had committed no crime, claiming the organizers “looked ready to violate the law.” Bobby Kennedy retorted, “May I suggest that during the luncheon period of time that the sheriff and the district attorney read the Constitution of the United States?” (PBS). Freedom of expression is probably the the most well-known, most agreed upon, and most treasured right in the United States of America; a country in which people disagree on almost everything else, including how the constitution should be interpreted, and the degree to which civil liberties, such as the right to bear arms, should be enforced. Despite these disagreements, almost all Americans—including liberals, conservatives, libertarians, democratic socialists, or folks of almost any other ideology—support and respect the First Amendment and believe there should be little to no restrictions on the free exchange of facts, opinions, ideas, values, and beliefs. But what does freedom of expression exactly mean, and how much practical protection is there for it? When is it or is it not okay to express yourself? Freedom of expression is not as solid, straightforward, nor black-and-white as many people think. The level of protection this right has been offered has changed over time, gone through many reforms and rethinking, and ultimately depends on a variety of factors (LegalInformationInstitute). I seek to explain the evolution of freedom of expression in the United States, and the laws, past and present, regarding one of the most important and basic human rights. In this blog, I’ll focus on public schools. The primary component of freedom of expression is freedom of speech, which can take place in a direct (verbal), or indirect (actions) way (LegalInformationInstitute). Freedom of speech, like all other civil liberties, is protection of our rights by the United States constitution from the government. This means that the level of protection free speech is offered ultimately boils down to the forum on which it takes place. If you are expressing yourself on a certain forum, the regulators of that forum are allowed to curtail your free speech as they see fit, and are not violating your constitutional rights, as it is their forum, and therefore their rules. A prominent example of this is the authority of schools to curtail the free speech of students in order to create a stable environment in which all the students feel safe, and nobody is disturbed by other students’ free expression. This can be seen in the case of Morse V. Frederick in 2007. In a school-supervised demonstration, a student named Joseph Frederick held up a banner with the message “Bong Hits 4 Jesus.” Debora Morse, the principal of his school, confiscated his banner and suspended him for 10 days (Oyez). She justified her action by arguing that Frederick had advocated illegal drug use, which was a breach of the school’s policy, kind of like how when I went to elementary school, the students, such as myself, were not allowed to create any violent material (whether it was pretend play, a gesture, a drawing) within the school campus. Frederick sued under 42 U.S. Code § 1983, the federal civil rights statute, which stated that “Any citizen or resident of any US state, territory, or the District of Columbia subjected by another citizen or resident of any US state, territory, or the district of Columbia, of any constitutionally guaranteed rights, privileges, or immunities, will be liable to the injured party in legal action or other forms of proceeding for redress” (LegalInformationInstitute). The district court, however, found no constitutional violation in the school’s curtailing of Frederick’s free speech, and ruled in favor of Morse. And the court ruled that even if it was decided that Morse’s action was unconstitutional, Morse would have “qualified immunity” against a lawsuit. However, the US court of appeals for the ninth circuit rebuked the ruling of the District Court, and decided that Morse’s censoring of Frederick’s message was a violation of his first amendment right to freedom of speech. Furthermore, Morse would have no qualified immunity because “any reasonable principal would have known that Morse’s actions were unlawful” (Oyez). So, this leaves us with two questions: does the first amendment allow public schools to curtail the free speech of students if they advocate illegal drug use? And does a school official have qualified immunity against a lawsuit under 42 U.S. Code § 1983, when they curtailed Frederick’s first amendment right to freedom of speech? The answer to these questions is “yes and not reached” (Oyez). This case ultimately made itself all the way to the Supreme Court, and they made a 5-4 decision to reverse the decisions of the ninth circuit. Justice John Roberts Jr voiced the majority opinion that school officials do have the right to curtail the free speech of their students if they advocate illegal drug use. Though Frederick’s message was cryptic, it was clearly advocating illegal drug use; therefore, the school had the right to discipline Frederick for his message. However, the four dissenters argued that while they agreed that Principle Morse should have immunity from lawsuit, “the majority opinion was “[…] deaf to the constitutional imperative to permit unfettered debate, even among high-school students […]” (Oyez). This is only one example which shows that freedom of speech depends on the forum in which it takes place. Public school students do not have as strong a right to freedom of speech as adults do because the schools can regulate the behavior of its students in order to make sure that the school is a safe, comfortable environment for all. On the other hand, this does not mean that students have no freedom of speech in public schools, and this can be seen in the case Tinker V. Des Moines Independent Community School District. In Tinker, the Supreme Court ruled that Iowa Public School officials had violated the
non-literary genre
Why California Schools Should Introduce a World Language Program, by Olivia Shekou, 13
“With all the emphasis on 21st-century skills, with the globalization of the economy and the world becoming smaller because of technology, we have so many opportunities out there, and I think we’re behind — really, we’re behind most nations — in teaching second languages.” This statement by Desa Dawson, president of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, proves how crucial it is for schools to introduce comprehensive world language programs. In the United States, less than 25% of students study a world language in school, contrary to 92% of Europe’s students who begin their world language learning as early as the age of six. Learning a different language gives students insight into different cultures around the world as well as a toolkit for communicating with people of different nationalities. Our students are the future of our country and it is crucial that they have these skills in life. California schools should provide comprehensive world language programs because it would expand students’ cultural worldview, help bridge the gap between diverse races, and ensure that students don’t fall behind in world language education. Introducing a comprehensive world language program is essential if we are to expand students’ cultural understanding of our world. The language of a nationality or country is closely intertwined with its culture and traditions. It cannot be taken out of this context. For example, every language has its own set of idioms. If we were to translate them verbatim into the English language, disregarding any cultural context, the idioms wouldn’t make sense. In the same way, if students learn the Chinese language without learning about Chinese culture, their understanding would be limited to what they’ve learned on paper. They would lose any understanding of the intangibles such as the culture, traditions and unspoken social customs. Guest teacher programs are an effective way of bringing a cultural context to language learning. The Chinese guest teacher program began in 2007 and it is now implemented within 30 states—Utah, North Carolina and Ohio being the largest of them. Schools in Bradenton, Florida are already preparing their second language students for a more complete cultural worldview. Xu Dou, a Chinese guest teacher in a Bradenton middle school, centers his lessons on Chinese traditions, including the writing of Chinese characters. Says Xu Dou, “If you want to learn real Chinese, you have to learn how to write Chinese characters… an indispensable part of Chinese tradition.” Similarly, the College Board, a non-profit organization that runs SAT and AP exams for the US, understood the benefits of providing a holistic view on language when it created an AP program in Chinese language and culture, which is similar to the second year program taught in colleges throughout China. If the College Board recognizes the importance of introducing a “cultural world language” program, it is time that the state of California catches on. Spanish teacher Caitlin Santin of Ross School, California, describes learning a second language as an experience that “opened up [her] world to different cultures and how different people live.” Second language programs would not be complete without an understanding of the culture and society from which languages come. California schools would benefit its students by providing language learning within a cultural context. Learning a world language also helps bridge the gap between people of different nationalities and can promote and repair relationships. Learning a language is not only necessary to communicate with its native speakers, but is also a way of breaking down barriers and differences between people as it brings commonality and connection to any interaction. This concept has been accepted worldwide. Language exchange programs such as France’s Parler en Paix initiative are centered on repairing relations between the French Jewish and Muslim communities affected by French laïcité (secularism). The organization’s students learn both Arabic and Hebrew in an effort to achieve the public’s end goal of a unified country. Ultimately, “efforts like Parler en Paix emphasize a desire within the French public for tolerance and unification,” (newsela) thereby making a profound impact on eliminating xenophobia and anti-semitism throughout France. By embracing the language, religion and culture of other races, we have the potential to unite diverse groups, even those with a history of religious and political conflict. And, with global warming trends, pandemics, and dwindling natural resources, our world is in a precarious position. It is up to our generation of students to unite as one global community to solve our world’s problems. Much like France, the state of California has a diverse racial and religious group of citizens. Second language teaching should be more integrated into our state’s education requirements in order to prepare for the future. California lags in world language education, which in turn limits the opportunities available to its students and affects their competitive standing. European countries have been the forerunner in recognizing the importance of introducing comprehensive world language programs. Even US government officials recognize that world language learning is “essential for US economic and strategic interests” (Washington, newsela). Without world language education, how can we expect our students to take on global interests? Moreover, learning a world language reaps many intellectual benefits that are necessary for success. “By acquiring a foreign language, you will double the number of available jobs… and climb the career ladder much faster” (Jiidee, University of the Potomac). If California’s students are to intellectually “stay in the running” against other countries, language learning is a must. And, due to the fact that language requirements are determined at the district or state level, each state must be accountable for its own students’ education. Some may argue that learning a second language isn’t necessary for California students, most of whom stay within California or take jobs where a second language isn’t useful or required. The chances are that the majority of California’s students will pursue jobs that don’t require international travel or global relations. Arguably, if second language proficiency is required on the job, diplomats or global professionals may be hired
How to Live the Life You Dream of Living, a motivational piece by Sabrina, 13
Sabrina Lu, 13 (Ashburn, VA) How to Live the Life You Dream of Living Sabrina Lu, 13 If you would like to live the life you dream of living, please follow the steps below as a guide. However, there are no right or wrong steps in living the life you desire. It is all about you. This list is simply a reference. Be yourself. It’s that simple and that hard. No one knows who you aren’t. No one knows who you are. Only you do. You can be anyone in the world or be yourself. Remember that there is only one of you and nearly eight billion others. Look at the mirror with confidence. Believe you can, and you’ve done the most challenging part of believing that you can and you will. Your journey may not be exactly as you imagine it, but it will be a great accomplishment to take pride in. Look up to others and yourself. You are one of the most extraordinary people on Earth. You have so much potential and can soar so high. You can inspire future generations and change the world for the better. Take care of yourself. Much like a good book, you need to be cared for. It’s perfectly alright to rest still for days at a time. Don’t forget to dust yourself. Let go of past grudges and think ahead to all the great wonders the future has to offer. The longer you hold on to something, the more tiring it will be to hold on to it. Find the little things that bring you joy. Sometimes it is the smallest things that make all the difference. One genetic mutation can create an entirely new species. One microscopic particle can evolve into a life-changing remedy. There are no limits to this list. If you imagine it, the list is endless. The opportunities are endless. You are limitless. You are empowered. Repeat the following steps above as often as you wish, and if you want to see how far you can stretch your wings, try creating your own list and refer to it often. It will always be there for you. No matter how tough life may seem, if you stick with it, you can’t go wrong. Even in the emptiest and darkest of places, there is always light. You just have to find it.
