The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Thursday ruled that a Northern California school district had the right to ban American flag T-shirts during a school Cinco de Mayo celebration.
9th Circuit sides with Live Oak High School against students who sued after being told to remove American flag t-shirts on cinco de mayo
— Howard Mintz (@hmintz) February 27, 2014
CBS News reports that the court decided that “the [school] officials’ concerns of racial violence outweighed students’ freedom of expression rights.”
The unanimous three-judge panel said past problems gave school officials sufficient and justifiable reasons for their actions. The court said schools have wide latitude in curbing certain civil rights to ensure campus safety.
“Our role is not to second-guess the decision to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration or the precautions put in place to avoid violence,” Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the panel. The past events “made it reasonable for school officials to proceed as though the threat of a potentially violent disturbance was real,” she wrote.
Mob rule, in other words?
Mexican students threatened violence when others chanted “USA” around an American flag, so school bans flag t-shirts. Today 9thCir upholds.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) February 27, 2014
https://twitter.com/BrooksHD19/status/439215026193195008
https://twitter.com/conncarroll/status/439161523479396352
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9th Circuit to students: The best way to silence speech you don't like is to threaten violence. Let freedom ring: http://t.co/ZSEmPYhqno
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) February 27, 2014
https://twitter.com/BradyCremeens/status/439201196591812608
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/439216915236409345
I bet they don't ban Che Guevara T-shirts. RT "@KatMcKinley: Just unbelievable. http://t.co/Gaza0nwKLc”
— Karl Kroshinsky (@KarlKroshinsky) February 27, 2014
Someone's free speech annoying you? Get to threatening them! Success! http://t.co/m5xeXlg0dA #hecklersveto
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) February 28, 2014
What? @bradthor I don't fight for this nonsense. Court Rules School Can Ban U.S. Flag Shirts to ‘Avoid Violence’ http://t.co/goXfMf9sgp
— Philip Bucci (@PSBucci) February 28, 2014
We’re confused too.
Is it OK to refuse to sell wedding cakes to gay people wearing American flag t-shirts during Cinco de Mayo? #9thCircuitBrainTeasers
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) February 27, 2014
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