Avery Doninger. Defend free speech in high school
Bob Morris @ Sep 14th 2007 00:17 - Category: Unfiled ;
High school student Avery Doninger and others committed the crime of getting public support for a battle of the bands at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington, CT. The school superintendent, Paula Schwartz, went bonkers and canceled the event.
Avery blogged about this, calling the school officials “douche bags.” She was banned for running for school office, ran anyway, won on a write-in vote, and then was disqualified. This after she apologized. (Another student who called the admin a “dirty whore” was given an award and lauded for citizenship. Sure sounds like selective prosecution to me.)
What is it about high school administrators anyway? There’s been too much repression of speech and liberty by these apparent freedom-haters who refuse to understand that what a student does on their own time is their own business. And that there is something called “free speech” guaranteed by the Constitution that is not revoked once a student walks through the doors of the prison school to be superseded by whatever the petty tyrant in charge decides that day.
Andy Thibault of Cool Justice Report has been helping in the fight and is co-chairing a fund raiser with “10 poets and writers reading from their works in a celebration honoring free speech freedom fighter Avery Doninger” on Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 pm at The Bistro East, Litchfield Inn, Litchfield CT. There will also be four bands and probable special guests.
The Doningers are seeking — among other remedies — an apology for civil rights violations, recognition of the write-in victory and sharing of the secretary position with the administration-backed candidate.
Full details on his blog, The Cool Justice Report, where you can also make contributions.
