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Loading ...Court turns down student over religious speech
11.16.2009 3:00pm EST
(Washington) The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a student who complained that high school officials violated her constitutional rights when they turned off her microphone during her religion-tinged graduation speech.
The justices said Monday they will not revive a lawsuit filed by Brittany McComb of Henderson, Nev. challenging the actions of Clark County school officials. A federal appeals court ruled previously ruled against her.During McComb’s speech at the Foothill High School graduation in 2006, officials turned off McComb’s microphone when the school valedictorian strayed from an approved text to provide a graphic account of Jesus’ crucifixion and credit God for her success in school.
The case is McComb v. Crehan, 08-1566.
Much to my amazement, it appears that the Supreme Court is still cognizant of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
People are entitled to their beliefs, even if they are not universally embraced. What they are not entitled to is the use of every platform they find themselve on in order to proselytize. If this young woman had been graduating from a parochial high school, I doubt there would have been an issue. Church schools are entitled to used their pulpits to state their religious views. However this was a public high school and it is certain that there were students and parents in the audience whose religious views were sharply divergent from those this individual embraced. Nobody should be subjected to religious propaganda in a religiously-neutral setting.
Why is this on 365gay.com?
It is about time that teh Supreme Court does something sensible!
This really isn’t news, the precedent on this is well established, and the court didn’t need to step in. I really don’t know why its on 365gay, it has nothing to do with gay people.
You have a right to free speech; you do not have the right to hold a captive audience. Thank you, SCOTUS.
I’m for freedom of speech when it comes from students answering assignment questions, but the faculty STILL gets to decide if a speech goes over the line, religiously or not. In my opinion, a detailed description of an act of human sacrifice is only appropriate for Wes Craven movies—-not graduation ceremonies.
Good! A graduation speech is not the proper platform to spew diabtribes about such things. There is no “freedom of speech” issue involved here and the judges, all around, were correct in their assessment of the facts involved.
Thanks for this story. It has plenty of relevance to LGBTI people, as our interests often exist at the intersection of free speech and religious bias.
Of what relevance is this article to gay news?
amen
It’s always helpful for gays to be aware of the stance the courts take with the religious fundies.
It is relevant because people try and use their religion as way to discriminate against other people who may have different beliefs.
I hadn’t heard about this story until now. Thanks 365.
How does a human sacrifice make this girl a “success in school?”
If you grew up–or are growing up–in a place where religion is frequently used as an excuse and justification for homophobia, this case is very relevant. Maybe some of you didn’t have that experience, but plenty of us–in damn near every state and province in North America–plenty of us did. Also, Henderson isn’t some hick ranch town–it’s suburban Las Vegas.