In the aftermath of the recent tragic events in Littleton, Colorado, the American Civil Liberties Union has reported an upsurge in complaints of civil rights violations by students. School officials have, for example, questioned a Columbia, S.C. student about the purpose of his having a chemistry text book and, in a separate incident, suspended a 14-year old girl in Pennsylvania who said she could understand how constant teasing could make a student “snap.” In schools near Littleton, a widely publicized ban has been imposed on wearing black trenchcoats.
What limits can schools impose on the speech and expression of students in the backlash to the Colorado shootings?
