Lunchtime Anti-War Protest Excites Community, Several Illinois High School Students Face Expulsion Options

[NoSex]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...hi_tab01_layout

There are a good number of issues at hand here, a lot worth discussion.

1. Is it an amendment right to protest, actively, during school hours on school property?
2. If the behavior required punishment, what would or would not be appropriate?
3. How much more disruptive is such behavior in comparison to Army recruiters roaming the halls?
4. What level of prejudice, if any, is at work here?
5. Is such behavior conductive to activism?
6. Do we detect liberal biases within this article?
7. Do we detect conservative biases within the school administration?

I'm really curious as to the exact nature of the protest - it almost appears as if they children held a "sit-in" during lunch and refused to move from their positions when asked. This, to me, just appears to be too much. Even worse, they're singing Lennon. Activism is fun, and sometimes useful, but, whoever had the idea to stage this the way they did, did so for pure theatrics - they knew they would be hassled and they were searching for controversy. There are more meaningful and appropriate times to actively protest - if you were asked to attend class and refused, it is entirely in the school's power to punish you for absenteeism and truancy. But, this is where I diverge - these kids don't deserve expulsion. They're just morons who think they're making a difference (sort of cool, sort of not). At this point, the school just seems to be politicizing the events - I smell administrative biases. Largely, especially given the media attention, I doubt these kids will suffer much, however, the level of punishment, to me, still seems quite extreme.

All in all - f**k high school army recruiters.

[brooklyneast05]

army recruiters are way more disruptive. i don't know about other schools, but i remember them showing up with boxes of pizza at lunchtime. u fill out a little information card and get pizza, what starving high school kid isn't up for free pizza. once they have the information they harass u constantly. i've never filled out anything for them, yet i still got calls from recruiters claiming that they "heard" i was interested in joining the army. i'm getting off topic i think.

anyway, i don't really agree with this protest, i think they could have picked a way better time and place than in the cafeteria at lunch. if they refused to go to class, give em detention. i don't see what the hell would justify expelling them though. if they were just sitting around singing, i also don't see why anyone would get a harsher punishment than the other.

[*Steven*]

1. Is it an amendment right to protest, actively, during school hours on school property?
2. If the behavior required punishment, what would or would not be appropriate?
3. How much more disruptive is such behavior in comparison to Army recruiters roaming the halls?
4. What level of prejudice, if any, is at work here?
5. Is such behavior conductive to activism?
6. Do we detect liberal biases within this article?
7. Do we detect conservative biases within the school administration?

1. I don't think that it should be allowed during school. What they choose to do on their free time is up to them, but holding it during school not only disrupts the area they're staging the protest in, but it disrupts the rest of the school and hinders the learning of others. Schools have their rules set in place and those rules, while some may be completely absurd, are there in general for the student's best interests.

2. A suspension or ISS or community service would be an adequate punishment, in my opinion. I think that expulsion is a little severe and will be fought and ridiculed if they choose to do so. I have no doubt that if they're expelled due to the protest, it will be appealed and the ISD may be sued.

3. Recruiters roaming the halls, while they can be plenty bothersome, don't stop you from going to class and don't make a commotion about things. They're also accountable for their actions and doing something like that can result in demotion or court marshal (the military takes it's reputation seriously at times, and recruiters are direct representatives paid to lie). Plus, people get used to recruiters and it becomes a thing that they learn to ignore. It's pretty hard to ignore protesters in a high school.

4. I'll come back to it

5. It may be, but as I stated earlier they should behave that way outside of school.

6. I'll come back to it

7. I'll come back to it