On Wednesday, a high school student in Michigan wore a T-shirt adorned with the words "International Terrorist" and accompanied by a picture of President Bush.
This was not an isolated incident. On Dec. 12, 2002, a high school student in Dayton, Ohio, went to school with a T-shirt that read "Not My President," accompanied by a picture of President Bush with cross-hairs on his forehead.
In both cases, school officials forced the students to either remove the shirts or go home.
In what might be seen as an unrelated story, in December, a Naples, Fla., high school mass media teacher organized an anti-war rally that involved his students. He was removed from the classroom and no longer teaches his class. The report from the local newspaper did not specify whether students were required to participate. The teacher, though, told the paper that he wanted to give his students different points of view to develop critical thinking.
These incidents share a common quality. The message school administrators may be sending is that students and teachers are not allowed to express political views.
This, however, is not the case. In order to protect students, a fine line exists between what can and cannot be expressed in a high school setting.
A teacher with a strong partisan view should be able to openly express it, but should use care not to impose opinions on impressionable minds. By demonstrating a passion for politics, a teacher is not necessarily persuading students, but setting an example against apathy. However, by involving students in a protest, this teacher may have crossed pedagogical lines.
A student should be able to wear anti-war or anti-Bush apparel, but cross-hairs can be interpreted as a threat on the president's life, which is unacceptable anywhere in the country. High school students should not be allowed to wear clothing that promotes violence.
In order to protect students, some First Amendment rights are curbed in a learning environment. Dress codes are examples of protective measures.
However, not all students seek higher education, so a high school should be a place for spirited political discussion and where partisan opinions can be formed.
Administrators must promote a safe learning environment, but they must not discourage political discussion.
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