Whose Paper Is This Anyway?

In recent years, students and their families have increasingly begun to challenge the authority of school officials to exercise control over issues, activities, or behaviors they feel are protected under the Constitution of the United States. This challenge has repeatedly created problematic situations for the school officials who are ultimately charged with maintaining effective operation of the school systems. While not wanting to discourage involvement on the part of students, administrators nevertheless feel a responsibility to exercise the control necessary to preserve the effectiveness of their schools. One area in which conflict is almost inevitable is students’ expression of ideas and ideals, or freedom of speech.