Friday, November 24, 2017


As it looks to end hate speech, Saucon Valley High School to ban five offensive words

There are plenty of other words that could be used abusively -- such as retard, spastic, moron, imbecile, parasite, no-hoper etc. 

The Saucon Valley School District, facing a federal lawsuit over racist incidents, is developing a hate speech policy for the high school that would specifically ban five words if used in hateful and menacing ways.

The five words are “b----,” the N-word, “terrorist,” “retarded” and “gay.” A student caught using the words would first go through an intervention program. If the student continues to use the words, he or she could face detention or suspension.

The five words have been used in derogatory ways at the high school level, including a handful of times this year, Superintendent Craig Butler said Wednesday. The policy was reviewed but not voted on at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

“What we’re looking at specifically is that these words not be used in a malicious, hurtful manner,” Butler said. “We’re trying to reinforce with our young adults that we would expect them to speak respectfully.”

Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said school districts have a right to prohibit offensive words.

“Schools can ban lewd and vulgar speech, regardless if there’s any disruption,” Walczak said.

Words such as “gay” and “terrorist” would not be grounds for punishment if used as part of a name such as Gay-Straight Alliance or on a lesson on terrorist attacks.

But the school can prohibit them if they are being used in a disruptive way, Walczak said.

SOURCE

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

our young adults

High school students are nowhere near to being adults.

Anonymous said...

Where is George Carlin when you need him?

If they are banning 'gay'.... what are we to make of the LGBT acronym? Does anyone of adult age ever consider the weaponized stupidity behind these kind of moves?

ScienceABC123 said...

Given the vagueness of what is meant by using these five words, just cut to the chase and ban every word in the dictionary. The slope they're on is that slippery.

Bird of Paradise said...

I am thinking of some worlds to discribe them Communists,Socialists,Bolshiveks,Marxists,Tyrants,Despots and Dictators and a few more Liberals,Snowflakes,Fools

Anonymous said...

As the founder of the RGTDL (Retarded Gay Terrorist Defense League), I support this initiative. :)

Spurwing Plover the fighting shorebird said...

Anon 5:21 You mean the ACLU?