Tri-County Middle School in Howard City, Michigan, showed political favoritism and its lack of commitment to free speech by demanding that two students remove anti-Biden sweatshirts in February 2022. The sweatshirts said "Let's Go Brandon," a political slogan that is a euphemism for "F*** Joe Biden."
Now, the two students, along with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, are suing the school for viewpoint discrimination.
Good.
Although schools can legally restrict profane speech on clothing, "Let's Go Brandon" contains no profane speech. None of those three words are curse words. However, the slogan lets people know that the youths wearing the sweatshirt probably dislike the sitting president.
Given that we do not live in a one-party totalitarian dictatorship, they have the right to dislike President Joe Biden. After all, it's not difficult to think of many reasons why someone may disapprove of the sitting president.
FIRE has correctly pointed out the hypocrisy that exists when it comes to political speech at Tri-County Middle School. The school allows students to wear clothing with other political messaging, including gay-pride-themed sweatshirts. It also allowed students to wear pride flags as capes on field day, but not flags of former President Donald Trump. Regardless of how one feels about Trump and Biden, the double standard and lack of commitment to free speech is absurd.
Differing opinions are bound to make some people uncomfortable. However, just because speech makes people uncomfortable, it does not mean such speech deserves to be banned. Doing so would limit people's ability to say what they think is true and also to raise awareness of alternative and potentially valuable viewpoints, especially in politics.
A lack of tolerance for differing views also, unfortunately, leads to self-censorship. More than 80% of college students self-censor themselves on campus, according to a 2021 study conducted by RealClearEducation. This conformity is problematic in that it can reduce critical thinking, preventing people from thinking for themselves. It hinders not only their ability to learn and grow but also does the same for the people around them who are deprived of the opportunity to have a healthy exchange of ideas.
Schools should tolerate differing opinions, even when it comes to politics. If people find the phrase "Let's Go Brandon" deeply offensive, perhaps they should reflect on their own intolerance for disagreement rather than being upset at two middle schoolers.
Tom Joyce ( @TomJoyceSports ) is a political reporter for the New Boston Post in Massachusetts.
Good. So fucking what.
It’s not a crime to make someone uncomfortable, or some of my old cars, and girlfriends for that matter would be serving life without parole.
In life you have periods of being a victim. It’s part of life I’m afraid. It’s just a place where life has taken you for a visit, it’s up to you how long you stay. The problem with these people teaching these kids is that all they’re teaching them is how they can get a mortgage for life in the ever expanding, but still only a 15 minute Smart City of Victimhood.
These kids need someone to teach them that life is tough most of the time, it’s part of life. It’s how they deal with it themselves and not constantly look to blame others for everything that they can bring their residential life in Victimhood to an end.
Now that’s a foreclosure every victim deserves.