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School Ban On Student Speech Claiming Supremacy of Religious View Struck Down

By Howard M. Friedman

Miller v. Penn Manor School District, (ED PA, Sept. 30, 2008), involved a challenge to a Pennsylvania school district's Student Expression policy. It was brought by a high school student who was told he could not wear to school a T-shirt that promoted homeland security and was imprinted on the back, in part, with the words: "Special Issue-Resident-Lifetime License, United States Terrorist Hunting Permit..." While the court upheld most of the school district's policy-- including the prohibition on speech that incites violence-- the court issued a preliminary injunction against enforcing two portions of the policy. It found the ban on student dress or expression that "is a distraction to the educational environment" to be overbroad and vague. It also found the ban on student expressions that "seek to establish the supremacy of a particular religious denomination, sect or point of view" to be overbroad.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on October 04, 2008 (boomark / email).