Speech
School Officials Need a First Amendment Lesson
Students have a First Amendment right not to recite the school pledge as a form of peaceful protest, but not all schools honor that.
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Federal Judge Rules Middle School Officials Could Punish Student for Writing ‘Trump 2016’ on Whiteboard
The district court emphasized that the punishment did not relate to any particular political viewpoint.
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Countering Conspiracy Theories with Critical Thinking
Conspiracy theories are growing, alongside their consequences, but it is possible to help limit their spread and harmful effects.
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California Appeals Court Upholds Law Prohibiting False Reports of Bombs or Explosive Devices
A California statute prohibiting persons from making a false report about a bomb or other explosive device does not violate the First Amendment, a state appeals court has ruled.
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First Five: The First Amendment in the 21st century, banning panhandlers, Yik Yak, and Quentin Tarantino
Scouring the web for First Amendment news is our job. Enjoy First Five, your regular dose of First Amendment news.
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When students protest abortion, can schools draw the line?
Students with deep religious convictions are fast turning public schools into the newest battleground over abortion – much to the dismay of beleaguered school officials.
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Trying to stifle student reporting just won’t work
Potential embarrassment or damage to a school’s reputation does not justify censoring the student publication’s reporting on an incident involving a teacher.
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Judge lacks First Amendment right to insult litigants
A judge has no First Amendment right to belittle and berate litigants in her courtroom, the Washington Supreme Court ruled in ordering that a state district judge be suspended for
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Don’t make me laugh, they might sue you
What is it about humor that all too often results in situations that decidedly are not a laughing matter?
Free speech in comedy attracts controversy as well as belly laughs, and in the case of two “South Park” television episodes this season that attempted to feature the Prophet Muhammad, even death threats.
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