Jena High School bans ‘Free the Jena 6′ T-shirts:
The LaSalle Parish schools superintendent says T-shirts supporting six black students accused of knocking out a white student, then kicking and stamping on him are a “threat to the order of the campus” at Jena High school.
Superintendent Roy Breithaupt says the “Free the Jena 6″ T-shirts worn Tuesday by eight or nine students caused disruption on campus, and that — not the shirts themselves — was why administrators announced that the shirts cannot be worn at school.
This is going to make a lot of people angry, but the superintendent is on solid legal ground. In a school in Michigan, a student was banned from wearing a message t-shirt, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that decision (emphasis added):
How’s that petard feel, political correctness advocates?
I actually agree with this decision. If they want to wear the shirts on their own personal time, that is perfectly fine. Order does have to be maintained in schools, and things like this threaten to ignite the same situation the town is now trying to resolve. Imagine if a white student wore a shirt with three nooses on it. Or better yet, a shirt that said “Fry Mychal Bell”.
I completely agree with your argument, Common Sense.
Actually, I’m a big fan of uniforms or at least strict dress codes at school. If kids want to “express themselves” let them write an essay.
Laura-
I totally agree. It just seems like whatever happens in this case, the school needs to attempt to maintain order at this point.
why can’t he assure the safety of the children that wear the shits as he didn’t care much aboput the tree insodent. what happen to freedom of speech sincxe there is no dress code in jena high school per as i read a white student saying.
why cant the black children wear the free jena shirt?
Yvonne:
“why cant the black children wear the free jena shirt?”
I am not speaking for the school here, but here is my stance on it.
Six people have been charged with violently beating one in the school system (one already convicted). These shirts are telling everyone to free them. You don’t think this is a slap in the face to the school? Letting them wear the shirts would be saying “Oh, it’s okay to gang up on a guy and beat him in our school. EVEN IF HE’S UNCONSCIOUS!”
Yes, you argue freedom of speech. Does that mean any white person can say the “n” word? Does that mean I can yell FIRE in a room full of people? Freedom of speech has it’s limits.
The shirts are absolutely againt parish wide school drees code. I dont have a copy of it here with me and cant quote it .
Imagine if a white student wore a shirt with three nooses on it. Or better yet, a shirt that said “Fry Mychal Bell”
This statement here says a few things…
The “whites” would be inclined to have a mindset to wear something that supports killing, while the “blacks” would be inclined to have a mindset to wear something that supports “freeing”.
Is this the typical thought process?
Oh, and by the way, what ignited the last flame that created the unfortunate altercation?:
“Imagine if a white student wore a shirt with three nooses on it”, think they used a tree, no need for a shirt when you can have it in 3-D.
As these “felons” were at one point school/classmates of some of these supporters, so I guess they just need to stop creating trouble and crossing into the “white” sections.
Shoot, just thought of something, why wouldn’t they just segregate the classes and the school altogether, that would resolve all of it. They could wear the shirts then, as I doubt the other “black” students will find it disruptive… but then again, the teacher may not be able to focus because of a distractive article of clothing with some English words and maybe a few yearbook photos.
*Shrug*
Here is something that no one has mentioned. If six white kids had beaten a black kid at that school, and some white kids had decided to wear T-shirts saying free them. We would be hearing charges of racism and the stories would have garnered significant media attention on race relations and racism by now. How come it has not. Is the life of a white child now worth less than the life of African American children, or maybe there is a new false stereotype that Blacks cannot be racist.
“what happen to freedom of speech sincxe there is no dress code in jena high school per as i read a white student saying.”
The JHS dress codes says you cant wear anything to causes tension with other students.
I agree with the decision, especially since the whole issue of the T-shirts is based on a violent attack at that very school and which interrupted the lives of many, many students in its wake.
If the t-shirts are going to distract from the purpose of obtaining an education, then the kids should be limited in what they can and cannot wear on school campus.
TJ Johnson-
WHile the examples I gave were harsh, I was trying to make the point that the shirts could cause tension. And depending on how you look at this incident, you could say that the Free Jena 6 t-shirts would imply that the students wearing them were in support of viscious gang beatings and the criminals who carry this type of activity out.
Before u start sayin they violently beat him read the whole story!! the kid had pulled a gun on them, and there is a such thing as self defense….this whole situation is all wrong!!!! people need to start listening to both sides of the story before judging someone, and the shirt is not saying free the 6 people who violently beat 1 person but it is saying that these are 6 people who were wrongfully accused of something they didnt do!!!! TRY TO PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR PLACE!! AND LOOKING AT HOW MUCH TENSION THE SHIRTS COULD CAUSE??!!! HOW MUCH TENSION DO YOU THINK WAS CAUSED WHEN THE OTHER STUDENTS HUNG THE ROPES FROM THE TREE!!!!
–YOU PEOPLE HAVE ISSUES!! THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!! AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR IGNORANCE…
FREE THE JENA “6″
From Jena:
I don’t think the shirts are advocating beating anyone until they are unconscious. What they are advocating is -equal- punishments for all the involved parties.
So far as I’m concerned, the school needs a slap in the face. Their rules and policies clearly state that threatening anyone with a weapon, real or imagined, is grounds for expulsion. Last time I checked, nooses were indeed used to kill people and it poses a very real, and very hurtful threat to a person of color. For the white students to simply get 3 days of in-school suspension is a slap in the face to every civil rights activist that has ever lived.
“Free the Jena 6″ would definitely fall under freedom of speech laws, where as the ‘n’ word falls under hate speech. Yelling ‘fire’ in a crowded building is dangerous. They are three separate things.
While the t-shirts could cause tension, it -needs- to be there. The town is racist and they need to be made aware of how wrong their behavior has been. You don’t just sweep something like this under a rug and expect the students to get over it. That creates -more- tension.
I would like to buy one of those t-shirts, I think these boys have been dealt a heavy hand, all along the White boys have pretty much gotten away with everything, the black kids respectfully asked for permission to sit under the tree. Did God not make Nature for everyone, black and white alike? Jena is a racist town. I praise God I live in the North. Even though I am White, I could never live in an area that did not accept ALL of God’s creations..
Sarah:
The term Free the Jena 6 means…that these 6 guys should be set free. Am I wrong? I find it hard to interpret it any other way. If the shirt said “EQUAL JUSTICE!” I would understand your point, but this says specifically to FREE 6 guys who beat someone while they were unconscious in the school system. If it means something other than setting them free, they should have thought of another slogan.
Why does the school need a slap in the face? The FBI came in and investigated and said that they couldn’t prosecute this as a hate crime because one element was missing: the use of force. The school principal recommended expulsion. The superintendent overruled him.
Free the Jena 6 would fall under freedom of speech laws, but that is laws, not a school system. The school rules say something different.
Some people in town are racist, but the larger majority ISN’T racist. Don’t pass judgment until you’ve actually live here. I’m offended at your assumption.
You say the majority of your town is not racist, but it seems all the ones with any kind of power are ( the DA, superintendent, judges, lawyers, cops, ect). I’m not black, but if I were I know I would not want to have to live in Jena!
Tammy:
Prove that ANY of these people are racist. You don’t know their past actions. You don’t know them personally.
I DO know some of them personally.
So you can think what you want.
note that Marcus Jefferson has claimed that Justin Barker “pulled a gun.” This is the first I’ve heard this accusation. The implication here is that Barker deserved being beaten by six students: to justify this nakedly brutal attack, the justifications have gone from “he called them ‘nigger’” to “he pulled a gun.” I’m surprised CNN hasn’t used Mr. Jefferson as an expert commentator on the case. Jeez. I want out of the human race.
Marcus Jefferson-
“people need to start listening to both sides of the story before judging someone, and the shirt is not saying free the 6 people who violently beat 1 person but it is saying that these are 6 people who were wrongfully accused of something they didnt do!!!!”
You are the only person on the planet who believes that the Jena 6 are being accused of “something they didn’t do!!!!”. It is a fact that they beat Barker up, the question is whether or not the punishment is too harsh.
The problem is that everything is one-sided. There are white students wearing t-shirts to school that state “Support the Jena 1″ in support of the one white student who was in the fight with these guys and they are allowed to wear those shirts. So if there is going to be a ban on shirts, then ban both of the shirts.
Chris – this is the first time I’ve heard that, is it reported anywhere or can you get a picture or something to substantiate? That is huge, in terms of how the school is dealing with this.
There was a guy doing a radio interview and he was in Jena documenting the current situation. He interviewed students and people and saw both shirts. Hopefully he finishes editing his footage and a network picks up his footage or he airs it online.
Hello people:
I want to say something to everyone with their opinions. Let’s remember you are voicing your freedom of speech on this site. Also remember what it was like when you went to school and your own parents and so forth. Now that we all have took a walk down thru time and remember all the racial tension that all ethnic groups fought to rid society of. Explain to me why NO one thinks this is about RIGHT or WRONG.
1st wrong – why should children have to ask to sit under a tree at school?
Most that are involved never experience this kind of racial tension before, so why should these children have to be subject to this at school. This should have never occur. Point blank. The school know more and is to blame more then one want to believe
2nd wrong – why is it cool for a person to point a gun at anyone in this small town? Why were charges pressed on these men?
I tell you b/c something is wrong with these people that they are living in an area that they are not from. WE live in 2007 not 1883 Slavery and segration went decades ago when most weren’t even born.
3rd. Nooses, Do I need to say anymore. I mean if you do not see this as a threat, then what is considered a threat. Did they have to place burning crossing on the porch for someone to understand what their intentions were.
4th why was it that th sheiff stated he can take someone’s life away with the swift of a pen.
Now that I have covered half of the surface, with these facts and all that have issused their opinions here. TELL me something where you live you do have to live like this. A simple yes or no will do. this is a disgrace and NO ONE regardless of what color you are should have to live like this. Right is right and wrong is wrong. I follow all stories so it is not that I am on one side or another I am on seeking justice and having the crime fit the punishment as this do not. As well as the 2 little white boys that were arrested and charged for smacking a little girl on the butt in school. After protesters showed up they were release and sent home for the school to handle. The white kid messed with the wrong person or persons. However it is and was a school fight and the school should have handle it way before nooses were hung and to go a little further the town is run by a bunch of crazy people. They need to make a stand and get rid of some of these head people that is running this town. It is a shame when this can happen and people do not think anything is wrong with it, until it hits their house or family. It should be stopped before it gets to your home.
I can’t believe people have come so far but think so small. I read the comment about some one comparing. The students wearing of the Jena 6 T-shirts to white students wearing a T-shirt with a
noose. Alos, the comment t stating that the wearing of the shirts would insite a riot. That is really ignorant. That is a realy vaccuous comment. So that would mean it is not Ok for the KKK to walk down the street in their garb. Oh – I guess that is OK with you. I wonder why -Hmmm. You should also get the facts of the case when you are commenting. Just to shed a little light for those of you who only look at one side. Let’s look at how the entire incident took place. Some black kids were sitting under a tree where some white kids had sat. They complained to the principal that some black kids were sitting in their spot. Why did they do this because they are used to intimidating blacks in this city. I commend the principla for stating that he did not care who sat there. The next day, the white kids had hung three nooses form the tree. Imagine if this was your child how would that make you feel. Now imagine how a teenager would feel. After this incident one of the white kids had a bottled and broke it over one of the black kids heads. That could be first degree assault for using a weapon. Guess what, the white kid only got suspeneded, and returned back to school. SURPRISING, OR IS IT. Now when the black kids retaliate – and they did not gang up on one guy, there were other white kids fighting also – they go to jail. And yes there was a weapon used – a fist and sneaker. Wow seems more dangerous than a bottle. I just want people to stop, think, and look at not the result but why it happened and look at both sides. This should not happen in America to any race.
For a country that does humanitarian work worldwide, I am amazed whites and the church in this country do pitifully little to help the blacks in this country. If you were treated the way blacks have been treated in this country, you would resent the entire system.
Even countries like India have a better record of educating and bringing up the “lower classes and castes”. Imagine if six whote kids beat up a black kid, you would not even have heard of it…. shame on the south. Southern trees bear strange fruit indeed.