Speech Opposing Counsel

Your honors, opposing counsel, may it please the court:

Speech can be used for destructive purposes, but it can similarly be used for good; much like, say, Fire. Imagine, if you will, that the power goes out, and in order to keep your house warm, and lit, you light a fire in your fireplace. As you are enjoying this warm, controlled flame in the comfort of your own home, your landlord bursts in, water-hose gushing, and lays waste to your beautiful fire, leaving you cold, and your children without light by which read or do their homework. Not only this, but he sends you a bill to pay for the water-damage caused by blasting the interior of your home with gallons of water.

Today, your honors, you will hear that the case we will be examining is not so distant from this anecdote. Alex Leslie, a young man who is a capable, talented student at Erehwon High School, was enrolled in an AP European History class taught by Professor G. Lee. You will hear that Professor Lee is a teacher who is so entrenched in ineffective teaching methods that he cannot see when his droning lectures and stifling of student discussion are leaving his students completely in the dark about his subject. Alex, in order to illuminate the subject for his fellow classmates, began posting on a blog that he had created on his own private property, using his own personal computer. He posted his opinions about Lee on this blog, opinions that you will hear are protected under the 1st amendment.

However, one particular school administrator, Principal Pat Thompson, believed that it was his prerogative to trample on Alex Leslie’s rights, and stop his opinions from reaching school grounds by shutting down the school internet network. Just like the land-lord in our story, Principal Thompson decided to discipline Alex for the disruption that was caused by Principal Thompson’s own decision to shut down the school’s network. You will hear that Alex Leslie has been suspended, banned from school-sponsored activities, and cannot attend his own graduation, because of the actions of others. After you hear our arguments, we will come before you and ask that you find in favor of the plaintiff, and reverse the unjust punishment dealt out by Erehwon High School.

...