Dear Dr. _____ ______,
Today during first lunch there was an issue with the appropriateness of a phrase on my shirt. The specific phrase says, "Fuck Armageddon this is hell." Now mind you this is not the first time I've worn the shirt to school, and in the past, as well as today, I cover the word "Fuck" with a piece of black electrical tape, and have had no problems with it not being "School Appropriate." Today during lunch I was approached by Mrs. _____ and was told I would have to change my shirt or turn it inside out. I asked if the tape had fallen off, and she responded to me saying it's wasn't just the one word, all the words on the back were not appropriate for school. A fellow student _______ _____ was sitting next to me and said, "Even Armageddon?" and Mrs. _____ repeated that all the words were inappropriate. I've gotten used to this irrational fear of "Curse Words" that you all have, but really? Armageddon and hell? This was news to me, as well as the rest of my peers at the table.
First off, I felt very disrespected because I was told I was not allowed to say something that is part of my beliefs, but the part that gets to me most was that no good logical reason was given or has ever been given. I understand you think that I am just a student and that, you all powerful administrators, don't have to answer to me. But the fact of the matter is we live in a society that claims to be fair, criminals are given a trial and reasons should be listed as to why something is wrong.
Beyond my feeling of disrespect was a feeling of being singled out. A lot of the things we think are morally wrong come from religion. But according to the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution we are given religious freedom, and the right to believe, say and think what we want. I see that this is apparent among other beliefs and religions in our school. But I was singled out because my beliefs and opinions seem morally wrong, when these morals you have established were originally based in religion. In a way I feel punished because I've chosen the one choice that isn't ok. Whether or not my beliefs are based in an official faith, is irrelevant because it is my belief that these religions are wastes of time, money and good resources while deciding for yourself what you believe it a much better process. Then again maybe it's me as a person and not my beliefs because even when I was of the Catholic faith situations like this occurred. One specific one was during a Friday in lent I was in I.S.S at _____ Middle School, the way lunch worked was we were given one entrée and had no choice in the matter. Because it was lent I wasn't allowed to eat meat because of my faith. When I brought this up to the Faculty member in charge of the I.S.S students she simply said to not eat the meat then. I don't think you're trying to say my beliefs don't matter just because they're my beliefs, but perhaps you are.
I'm aware that you will probably tell me that it's wrong for me to say such things because it will offend people. But censorship and taking away my right to say what I want deeply offends me more than anything ever has. I suppose it is because I'm not a part of the majority that your fairness can be incoherent towards me. Some things that offend some people don't offend others, so naturally only a majority that feel the same way are free from being offended. But the truth of the matter is that many things I see in my day to day routine offend me. However, I'm not asking you to abolish these offensive practices because I am understanding that with different people comes different opinions. Making me change my shirt because it "needs to be censored" to me is no different than segregation between races. It doesn't seem that far from reality that I would be forced to drink out of a different drinking fountain because I choose to swear, or talk of Armageddon and Hell. When in fact the power of words is created in the human mind, just as the difference between two races is. I'm fully aware that America isn't the land of the completely free, but to me that doesn't make it ok. Or do you feel that it does?
I'm not even certain about the legality of what was done here. The first amendment of the constitution guarantees me the right to freedom of speech. Dictionary.reference.com defines freedom of speech as, "The right to speak without censorship or restraint by the government." If I'm understanding what I'm learning in AP GOPO then the Constitution is part of the Federal Government which supersedes the State Government, and the School District is part of the State Government. Which means you don't have the right to impose censorship upon students. Then the issue of clear and present danger has to be taken into account. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., suggested that "the question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent." I believe he made the point that no one has a constitutional right to shout “Fire!” in a theater full of people when there is actually no fire, for such action would pose a “clear and present danger” to public safety. But my words were not posing any danger what so ever to anyone. The constitution is up to interpreting and I've heard the argument that the words were printed on my shirt and not spoken, (However there are the same rules against me saying those words in school) in response to this I must mention that I have a strong belief in freedom of expression which is used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any form of receiving and sending information, regardless of the medium used. Denying me that is another way I am denied what I strongly believe in during school.
This whole event has left me feeling unsure if _______ Public Schools is a place where I wish to pursue my education. However, with only the rest of my senior year left I'm not left with many options aside from dropping out, and despite all this I still feel a formal education is important. Besides I wouldn't want to let down my country by dropping out, the way my country has let me down by falsely guaranteeing me rights and ignoring my beliefs.
Sincerely, _____ ______.
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