Olympic Torch Synthesis Essay

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At a high school in Juneau, Alaska the Olympic Torch Relay took place in 2002 for the first time. Joseph Frederick, an 18-year old senior, unveiled a banner that read “BONG HITS 4 JESUS”, a saying he saw on the bottom of a snowboard, when the torch passed by him. The principal, Deborah Morse, disposed of the banner and punished the student by suspending him for 10 days. When the decision on whether Morse was in the wrong was taken to the Supreme Court, many different arguments were formed. In this essay, I believe and I will show, that the argument in favor of the school, made by Essay 19, is a stronger argument In Essay 18, Freedom of Expression: Protect Student Speech-Even “Unwise” Bong Banner by USA Today, the claim is being made that …show more content…

Starr, the claim is being made that the Supreme Court should not follow the 9th Circuit and should rule in favor of the school. One reason in support of this claim is that “policies that keep pro-drug messages out of the school environment reflect common sense” (500). The idea that school officials act in loco parentis, in place of the home, supports the fact that these rules are common sense because it makes what a student would and wouldn’t do in front of their parents apply at school also. A student would most likely not encourage drug use, or joke about it, in front of their parents, therefore, a student should not do that in front of their school officials. Another reason is that the event was, in fact, a school activity. It was during school hours and was attended by the entire school. It even occurred on the street in front of the school. “Cheerleaders were in uniform. The pep band played. And four students acted as torchbearers” (500). All signs point towards the Olympic Torch Relay as a school event, therefore, Frederick violated a school regulation. The main argument comes from the deductive technique Modus Ponens, but uses Inference to the Best Explanation when deciding on if the event was a school

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