New Jersey high school students suspended after posting non-threatening pictures of legal gun-related activity

[KLB]

Two male students at Lacey Township High School in New Jersey posted photos of guns on Snapchat. One of the boys captioned his photo with "hot stuff" and "if there's ever a zombie apocalypse, you know where to go."

The photos were not taken at school. They were not taken during school hours. They did not reference a school. They auto-deleted after 24 hours, which was well before the school became aware of them. And yet, administrators at Lacey Township High School suspended the boys for three days, and also gave them weekend detention.

This was a clear violation of the students' First Amendment rights, and the American Civil Liberties Union has now filed suit.

"Young people have the right to express themselves, and, with rare exceptions, they shouldn't face punishment by school administrators for it," said C.J. Griiffin, a partner at the law firm Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, who is representing the students along with the ACLU.

https://reason.com/blog/2019/04/11/high ... nsion-aclu

[DynamicDan]

Intelligence flew the the coup about 20 years ago and this is the result.

[WildRose]

Two male students at Lacey Township High School in New Jersey posted photos of guns on Snapchat. One of the boys captioned his photo with "hot stuff" and "if there's ever a zombie apocalypse, you know where to go."

The photos were not taken at school. They were not taken during school hours. They did not reference a school. They auto-deleted after 24 hours, which was well before the school became aware of them. And yet, administrators at Lacey Township High School suspended the boys for three days, and also gave them weekend detention.

This was a clear violation of the students' First Amendment rights, and the American Civil Liberties Union has now filed suit.

"Young people have the right to express themselves, and, with rare exceptions, they shouldn't face punishment by school administrators for it," said C.J. Griiffin, a partner at the law firm Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, who is representing the students along with the ACLU.

https://reason.com/blog/2019/04/11/high ... nsion-aclu

I hope they have found a good lawyer.

[crazy2medic]

Where are the Parents in these things? If the school had done something like this when my kids were in school I'd have lost my mind! Only had one incident with a kid kicking my daughter, she was about 10yo, I ask her why she had bruises on her legs, she told me a boy in her class was kicking her, told her kick him back! She told me she did but it didn't stop him, I asked where she was kicking him she told me his feet, I explained to her she needed to aim higher, after she punted him between the legs he stopped kicking her! I was more than prepared to go to the school but never had too!

[KLB]

I explained to her she needed to aim higher

My daughter didn't have that problem, but as I imagine many other fathers have, I gave similar advice to my daughter if a boy ever got aggressive with her.

[K.Mooneyham]

People constantly complain about how terrible it is in our schools, how terribly our teachers get paid, etc. However, a good chunk of the rot in this country comes from our school systems, they are often the ones who push the stupidity on a seeming non-stop basis. Note that I am not blaming all teachers, I know there are plenty of good ones trying to do their best. However, I lost sympathy for schools in general when they brought in their "zero-tolerance policies", which were nothing of the sort. They did that so they didn't have to actually make decisions because it is often difficult to make decisions.

Recently my son was honorably discharged after a six year enlistment in the USAF as an aircraft machinist and welder. However, he once got in trouble in high school due to having a "weapon" at school. What was the weapon? A multitool he was using on his bicycle, to tighten something up. He was outside the school in the parking lot when he was caught by a teacher. They threatened him with arrest and expulsion because of "zero tolerance". He was booted out of all the college-prep stuff he had been in. He never took the multitool out during school hours, he didn't threaten anyone with it, or damage school property, he simply worked on his bike in the parking lot. Again, I have major difficulty mustering up any sympathy for schools these days.

[DynamicDan]

Zero tolerance equals the loss of independent problem solving

[OneGun]

Hope the kids WIN big!!! The went to a range owned by one of the kid's brothers, shot a legal gun in a permitted area and got suspended? The school administration has a weak defense for the suspensions.

[WildRose]

Zero tolerance equals the loss of independent problem solving

Zero Tolerance is the product of problem parents raising hell and filing lawsuits over their kids being "treated unfairly" ie not every kid getting the exact same punishment because teachers and administrators applied logic to the circumstances before determining punishments.

Basically liability lawyers, judges, and school boards took away their ability to weigh each case of misbehavior on the merits based on the totality of the circumstances.

[Jusme]

People constantly complain about how terrible it is in our schools, how terribly our teachers get paid, etc. However, a good chunk of the rot in this country comes from our school systems, they are often the ones who push the stupidity on a seeming non-stop basis. Note that I am not blaming all teachers, I know there are plenty of good ones trying to do their best. However, I lost sympathy for schools in general when they brought in their "zero-tolerance policies", which were nothing of the sort. They did that so they didn't have to actually make decisions because it is often difficult to make decisions.

Recently my son was honorably discharged after a six year enlistment in the USAF as an aircraft machinist and welder. However, he once got in trouble in high school due to having a "weapon" at school. What was the weapon? A multitool he was using on his bicycle, to tighten something up. He was outside the school in the parking lot when he was caught by a teacher. They threatened him with arrest and expulsion because of "zero tolerance". He was booted out of all the college-prep stuff he had been in. He never took the multitool out during school hours, he didn't threaten anyone with it, or damage school property, he simply worked on his bike in the parking lot. Again, I have major difficulty mustering up any sympathy for schools these days.

There have been too many instances of kids being punished, for non-crimes. When I was in high school, I carried a Schrade knife in a leather sheath on my belt, I might have had either a shotgun, or rifle on the gun rack, in the back window, of my pick up. None of those were illegal, and no one at the school ever questioned it.
All of this just goes to show, that no matter, how many laws are passed, preventing violence begins at home. It would have never crossed my mind, to use either my knife, or my guns, against anyone, because I was taught better at home.

[Flightmare]

So they suspended a child for legally exercising a constitutionally protected right (2nd Amendment) off school grounds and not during school hours. Does that mean they could suspend a kid for exercising other constitutionally protected rights? What if they found out he goes to a church, or was speaking at a city council meeting?

[joe817]

Recently my son was honorably discharged after a six year enlistment in the USAF as an aircraft machinist and welder. However, he once got in trouble in high school due to having a "weapon" at school. What was the weapon? A multitool he was using on his bicycle, to tighten something up. He was outside the school in the parking lot when he was caught by a teacher. They threatened him with arrest and expulsion because of "zero tolerance". He was booted out of all the college-prep stuff he had been in. He never took the multitool out during school hours, he didn't threaten anyone with it, or damage school property, he simply worked on his bike in the parking lot. Again, I have major difficulty mustering up any sympathy for schools these days.

There have been too many instances of kids being punished, for non-crimes. When I was in high school, I carried a Schrade knife in a leather sheath on my belt, I might have had either a shotgun, or rifle on the gun rack, in the back window, of my pick up. None of those were illegal, and no one at the school ever questioned it. All of this just goes to show, that no matter, how many laws are passed, preventing violence begins at home. It would have never crossed my mind, to use either my knife, or my guns, against anyone, because I was taught better at home.

K.Mooneyham, I am outraged for what that school did to your son! A multitool? Like a Leatherman or something similar?? I am at a loss of words to describe my disgust for this so call 'zero tolerance policy' that would end a young man's bright future for having his bicycle tool in the parking lot fixing his bike! My sympathies are with you and your son. And please pass on to your son....thank you for your service to your country.

Jusme, I totally agree with you. I too, had a gun rack in the family pickup with a Browning A5, and a Remington Model 8 when I was a kid growing up in Clay County. Parked in the high school parking lot, and never a problem. I'm saddened with the way young people are treated just by exercising a God given right to peaceful coexistence. It boggles my mind.

[DynamicDan]

Common sense died many years ago

[Soccerdad1995]

So they suspended a child for legally exercising a constitutionally protected right (2nd Amendment) off school grounds and not during school hours. Does that mean they could suspend a kid for exercising other constitutionally protected rights? What if they found out he goes to a church, or was speaking at a city council meeting?

How is this different than other things that are against the rules at school but not elsewhere? I'm pretty sure it is very much against the rules for a school employee to drink alcohol at school. So should a principal face disciplinary action if someone sees them having a glass of wine with dinner at a local restaurant?

My wife just posted a picture to Facebook of our son with his first hog. I guess we need to be worried?

[OneGun]

Common sense died many years ago

Every time I hear the phrase "Common Sense" gun control, I cringe at the stupidity of the speaker.