A federal district court ruled Dec. 11 that an elementary school infringed on the First Amendment rights of one of its students when it prohibited her from singing the popular Christian song "Awesome God" during a school-sponsored talent show almost two years ago.
Author: Scott Sternberg
Former high school student pleads guilty to criminal libel
A former high school student pleaded guilty to criminal libel last week, admitting that he impersonated one of this former teachers and sent threatening messages to students on the social networking Web site MySpace.com.
University of Southern Mississippi newspapers missing, some found in trash
Almost half of the press run of the University of Southern Mississippi's student newspaper disappeared from racks last week, but editors say the police are reluctant to investigate the theft because the newspaper is free.
Survey shows high school attitudes changing
An update to a 2004 survey of high school students and teachers shows more education could be helping students understand and approve of press freedom, but an increasing number of students believe the First Amendment "goes too far."
Court rules University of California compensation votes must be public
A state court ruled in August that the Universityof California Board of Regents cannot decide how much to pay universityadministrators in meetings not open to the public.
California court says former Occidental student can not sue under Leonard Law
A state appeals court ruled in August that a former Occidental College student lacked legal standing to sue the school for firing him after he made controversial comments on-air because he had already graduated by the time he filed the lawsuit.
School should not have censored Bush t-shirt, court says
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a t-shirt depicting George W. Bush as a drug and alcohol abuser should not have been censored by a Vermont High School in 2004.
Court declares Maryland flier policy 'too broad'
A policy that governed public school officials’ authority to determine which community groups can send home fliers with students was struck down recently because an appeals court said it infringed on the groups' First Amendment right to free speech.
Supreme Court urged to review 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' case
School district officials in Alaska have urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal court of appeals ruling concerning censorship of a student's drug-referencing banner, with a little help from former Whitewater special council Kenneth Starr.