Matthew Fraser Speech

In Donnie’s situation, there was no violation of any known policy in regard to his being able to express himself by writing “Free Marcus” on his hands. He may have caused some discussions outside of the classroom, but he in no way interfered with the day-to-day classroom instruction or school activities. Because he did not cause any disturbance by his action, it can be shown that his right to freedom of speech was violated.

In another case where a student filed suit for violation of his First Amendment rights, Matthew Fraser was suspended for three days by the Bethel School District after he gave a speech at a school assembly. Bethel Sch. Dist. v. Fraser, 478 U.S. 675 (1986). The student, Fraser, delivered a speech nominating a fellow student for a student elective office. Over 600 high school students, many of whom were 14-year-olds, attended the assembly. The assembly was part of a school sponsored educational program in self-government. Id. at 677. All students were required to attend or to report to study hall. During the entire speech, Fraser referred to his candidate in
Symbols, signs, negative slogans, vulgarities, and racial/ethnic slurs can also be considered a way of exhibiting that First Amendment right. Sometimes these actions, while believed to be allowable in “free speech” can also be considered to be offensive or disruptive to the school environment. In the case, Brogdon v. Lafon, 217 Fed. Appx. 518, 523 (6th Cir. 2007), the school board had numerous documented incidences of racially motivated occurrences that were interfering with the students constitutionally protected right to an education. In the previous year, the school had to be put on lock-down with the continual presence of sheriff’s deputies due to a physical altercation between a white student and an African-American student. A civil rights complaint was made against the school system due to this