The Supreme Court is highly divided on many issues (not sure if they could agree on whether it is daylight or dark). But, 8 of the 9 Justices agree that it would be unconstitutional to ban Westboro Baptist from protesting soldiers funerals. Justice Bader-Ginsberg and Justice Scalia (strange bedfellows) both voted with the majority. For those in favor of a ban, Justice Alito (a scholar in his own right) agrees with you. Writing for the majority Chief Justice Roberts suggested the proper response to hurtful protests are general laws creating buffer zones around funerals and the like. Pornography is treated the same way. Communities cannot ban it, but they can restrict it to controlled zones.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/27700734/detail.html

 

They are pathetic

 

 

A representative of an anti-gay church says it plans to picket an Ohio high school next month purely because it was invited to the Columbus area to speak at a different school.

 

He says it's just that when the church gets an invitation, it often chooses to picket in the area.

Are there other high schools that have asked this bunch of idiots to come speak? The Bible is on the banned book list but this group of nut jubs are welcomed in?

Why would any school allow these idiots to speak to their students? And what do the parents of these students think about this?

The class they're speaking to is

U.S. Political Thought and Radicalism.

Maybe they wanted a "horse's mouth" speaker?

Why would any school allow these idiots to speak to their students? And what do the parents of these students think about this?

 

As long as the school let the parents know then I'm fine with it. I think we insulate our kids from unpopular speech and it hampers their ability to reason. We , as parents, simply tell them what to think.

 

If the school told me that a group like this was going to speak to my child I would use it as an opportunity to have a discussion. We would discuss the viewpoints of the group and talk about the ramifications of such thought. I'd then talk to them after the group presented and simply be a parent.

As long as the school let the parents know then I'm fine with it. I think we insulate our kids from unpopular speech and it hampers their ability to reason. We , as parents, simply tell them what to think.

 

If the school told me that a group like this was going to speak to my child I would use it as an opportunity to have a discussion. We would discuss the viewpoints of the group and talk about the ramifications of such thought. I'd then talk to them after the group presented and simply be a parent.

Would you be okay with a school asking the Klan to come in and speak?

Would you be okay with a school asking the Klan to come in and speak?

 

Yes and no (and I should have put this qualifier in my previous post).

 

As a white guy with white children the Klan discussion is easy . However, the "no" of my answer comes from the fact that I would be hesitant to expose any black students or adults to such hatred. If I was the administrator I would have to take their feelings into consideration. Again, the key is the administration consulting with adults and keeping them in the loop. Parents hate surprises.

The class they're speaking to is Maybe they wanted a "horse's mouth" speaker?

 

I'd put these people at the other end of the horse.

Yes and no (and I should have put this qualifier in my previous post).

 

As a white guy with white children the Klan discussion is easy . However, the "no" of my answer comes from the fact that I would be hesitant to expose any black students or adults to such hatred. If I was the administrator I would have to take their feelings into consideration. Again, the key is the administration consulting with adults and keeping them in the loop. Parents hate surprises.

 

What about the "hate" these people show toward military. What if one of the students has a dad/uncle/brother who was killed in battle and has to sit and listen to this garbage? I agree that parents should talk about a lot more issues than they do with their kids but it's one thing to talk about drugs v/s inviting a current junkie to come and speak.

Clyde, as Plato asked above about the hate, and I'll add some, what about the gay students? Wouldn't you feel hesitant to expose them or gay adults to such hatred? What about their feelings?

Take the 10 Commandments off the wall - and invite these radical hate mongers to influence our children.

I just don't get it.

Take the 10 Commandments off the wall - and invite these radical hate mongers to influence our children.

I just don't get it.

 

Agreed. It is one thing to recognize the Bill of Rights affords these odious and despicable people the right to protest. It is quite another to invite them in to your community to speak to children.

Yes and no (and I should have put this qualifier in my previous post).

 

As a white guy with white children the Klan discussion is easy . However, the "no" of my answer comes from the fact that I would be hesitant to expose any black students or adults to such hatred. If I was the administrator I would have to take their feelings into consideration. Again, the key is the administration consulting with adults and keeping them in the loop. Parents hate surprises.

 

What about the "hate" these people show toward military. What if one of the students has a dad/uncle/brother who was killed in battle and has to sit and listen to this garbage? I agree that parents should talk about a lot more issues than they do with their kids but it's one thing to talk about drugs v/s inviting a current junkie to come and speak.

 

Clyde, as Plato asked above about the hate, and I'll add some, what about the gay students? Wouldn't you feel hesitant to expose them or gay adults to such hatred? What about their feelings?

 

I think that's why he put the bolded. And for what it's worth I agree with Clyde here.

I think that even at the high school level, having someone like this come and speak to students is playing with fire. Everyone knows that, for better or worse, teens are easily influenced. I would leave discussion of these matters to the parents of the students. Parents know the details about their kids - a general idea what they do and don't know about the issues already, and what may be hot-buttons with them (i.e. - dad/uncle/brother who was killed in battle).

 

There is value in presenting the issues that groups like these bring into light, but leave it to very basic discussion as presented by a teacher in the classroom. In gradeschool, I learned that the KKK existed and mistreated the black community, in high school, I learned what was really meant by "mistreated the black community". In college, I took a course on African-American studies, and learned in depth what really went on with the south.

 

Why not just leave this kind of stuff for college when the student minds are truly becoming "adult minds"?