This case is about the school board cancelling a school play that the students believed they had the right to perform. The school board's defense is that the play was not approved by them, and that it was inappropriate. The students say that they have a right of performing what they want, since it's freedom of speech.
The Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier case was about a principal deleting pages of a school newspaper. The reason that it was deleted was because the principal deemed it inappropriate for younger viewers, and because he felt that the anonymity of the people they were writing about was not sufficient. Both cases deal about a school supposedly censoring students and limiting their freedom of speech.
The reason that the school board felt that they had a right of cancelling the play was because they would perform it on school grounds, therefore any inappropriate actions would deem the school liable. They have certain authority over what events can take place on their property.
The reason that the students felt they had a right of performing the play was because they felt that through the play, they express themselves. Censoring their expression would be limiting their speech.
I believe that the students should be allowed to perform the play depending on whether all of their parents approve of it. If there are people who say that it is too inappropriate, then it should be censored. There may be younger audiences in the play that would get the wrong impression from the play. First of all, anything that happens to the students on school grounds makes the school responsible. Secondly, the parents have a right of determining what they expose their children to. Third, considering that the play is a school play, the school board has a right to cancel or change any part of a play that they feel needs to be changed.
(This last part comes down to your personal opinion so you can change it if you'd like.) Yes the school should be allowed to censor the material of a school play or school newspaper because it is school related. Yes, the students have a right of expressing themselves, however others also do have rights. Censorship should be expressed only if they have the approval of the majority of the parents involved and of the teachers.
