freedom of expression

Opinion: Zero tolerance policies target school children’s innocent expressive conduct

School children across the country are being punished for innocent acts, speech and expressive conduct, that should not be criminalized, writes David L. Hudson Jr. for the First Amendment Center. A 14-year-old in Florida was suspended from school for hugging a female friend and a 9-year-old from North Carolina was suspended for sexual harassment for calling a teacher “cute.” -db From a commentary for the First Amendment Center, May 7, 2012, by David L. Hudson

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Safety trumps speech at Morgan Hill high school

A Morgan Hill high school acted legally when it ordered students to conceal T-shirts bearing American flags on Cinco de Mayo, a federal judge ruled. Because Mexican American and Anglo students had previously wrangled about clothing on Cinco de Mayo, Live Oak High School officials reasonably anticipated campus disruption and safety problems, U.S. District Judge James Ware of San Francisco said. A lawyer for the students wearing the U.S. flag said he would appeal, the San

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First Amendment victory in federal appeals decision on filming police at work

Police in Massachusetts use the state’s wiretapping law to arrest citizens recording video of arrests and other law enforcement activities. But the First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled last week that since the recording of an arrest was not done secretly, the wiretapping law did not apply. The court upheld the citizen’s First Amendment right to film a police arrest using what the citizen thought was excessive force. -db From a commentary in techdirt,

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Sarah Palin sued in federal court by man claiming she tried to silence his criticism

Theodore Thoma sued former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin on the grounds that when she was governor she used state resources to silence him for complaining about excessive traffic near the Governor’s Mansion. The man said he also offered suggestions about how to improve the traffic situation. The complaint states that Palin, “in conspiracy with others, undertook a campaign against plaintiff. In some cases twisting plaintiff’s words, and in others concocting complete fabrications, plaintiff [sic] set

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Judge halts attempt to stop movie critical of Mexican courts

In a test of free expression, a Mexican court has reversed a judge’s order to halt screening of a movie that exposed injustices in the country’s criminal court system. The documentary — “Presumed Guilty” — recounted the case of a man convicted twice of murder, even though there was little evidence to support the prosecution. The showings were halted after a witness to the case asserted that his depiction in the award-winning movie violated his

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