Inappropriate or Censorship (part 4)
Topic: Government Intrusion
The Waukesha Freeman carried an editorial on June 3 about Tyler Schultz, the student who submitted a picture with a gun and a Confederate flag. Basically they use the same PC blather that is always used in these situations. Following is the editorial:

"One of the definitions of a censor that can be found in the Webster's dictionary reads: "an official who examines publications or films for objectionable material." And censorship is therefore that practice as administered by a censor.

"So in that technical sense, there is no arguing that the Pewaukee School District practiced censorship in refusing to publish a yearbook photo of an 18-year-old student in the school yearbook. Tyler Schultz is seen in the picture posing with a shotgun in front of a Confederate flag. School Principal Marty Van Hulle later told the parents the photo had been removed from the annual yearbook because of its content.

"The question is, whether that action of censorship was warranted.

"Normally this newspaper sides with issues of freedom of expression with very few exceptions. But for every rule there always are exceptions ... and this appears to be one of them.

"Schultz, who was being honored as student of the year for technical education at the school, submitted a photo for use in the book that showed him dressed in cowboy style, with a rifle in front of him and the Confederate flag behind him.

"His mother, Tammy Ankomeus, complained that the photo illustrated his love for trapshooting and his urge to connect to his relatives with roots in the South.

"Assuming all that is true, it still must be said that many people - particularly people of color - find the Confederate flag deeply offensive. To most people, the Stars and Bars represents an era of repressive slavery just as the swastika represents the evils Nazi Germany inflicted on the world in general and Jews in particular.

"And in the wake of recent shootings in high schools, displaying a firearm in a school photo can be a disturbing image for some, as well.

"Instead of worrying about an otherwise top-notch student not being able to show his beliefs in a yearbook photo, the argument of freedom of expression in schools needs to be focused on school newspapers, which are often edited heavily by ham-handed advisers afraid to allow students freedom of expressing ideas.

"Tyler's picture being omitted hardly rises to that level. Schools have a long and understandable history of editing out objectionable materials, including banning inappropriate clothing and pornography being brought to schools. Such standards are necessary and well-conceived for public school students in taxpayer-funded schools."

Tyler Schultz's picture
Topic: Government Intrusion
Ok, here's my take on yesterday's post.

1. It is censorship. First of all, the students were asked for submissions. I don't know if restrictions were placed on them (I can guarantee there will be in the future), but I assume there weren't or the story would have mentioned it. Second, the student is 18 years old and an adult. If he was underage, then the school might have had more leeway. Being underage at the time of submission is not applicable because of the publication date, in my opinion.

2. The school botched this in several ways. Not defining unacceptable or inappropriate pictures was one. Waiting so long after the picture was submitted was another. There are things they could do--one that comes to mind is printing a disclaimer, done by many publications.

3. No one ever reported a problem with his clothing, bumper stickers, etc.

4. The yearbook was probably within its rights to crop the picture, I assume many publications do so. But the way it was handled leaves much to be desired.

5. The ACLU, as pointed out by Ben in his comment to Part 2, is pursuing a liberal agenda rather than free speech in this situation. I wonder if he'd had a symbol of homosexuality or abortion or any other of their pet causes, would they have said the same thing? There are limits to free speech, it's true, but the pictures were supposed to reflect the students and their interests. And what are the limits to free speech? How is it "disruptive to the educational environment?"

6. Some of the comments on this by folks in the area have bordered on ridiculous. One said guns don't belong in school. What? He didn't bring a gun, he brought a picture of a gun. Another said, "What if a girl wanted to become prostitute and have her photo taken?" Well for one thing prostitution is illegal, especially in Wisconsin. Gun ownership or flying a Confederate flag is not.

Now, let me make something clear. I am uncomfortable around guns. I don't own one, never have and probably never will. I feel the Confederate flag is a sign of racism and when southerners wave the flag, it is not as an "historical banner" but usually in response to some favoritism they see African-Americans getting.

Neither am I accusing the school staff of making a rash decision. The principal is a former Wisconsin "Principll of the Year." He seems to have a good reputation in the community. I'm just saying this time he is wrong.

Inappropriate or Censorship (part 2)
Topic: Government Intrusion
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel picked up the story that appeared in the Waukesha Freeman yesterday, adding this from Chris Ahmuty, executive director of the ACLU of Wisconsin:

"This is clearly not censorship. I think that in a high school situation, if you applied the standard of whether or not it's disruptive to the educational environment, that there's an issue with this particular image.

"Although students have a right to free speech, there are limits, he said.

"At some point, the district really needs to look at this as an opportunity to reaffirm its position on safety in schools and its commitment to diversity and equality."

The mother also explained that

"Schultz didn't mean to offend with the photo. The rifle was given to him by a grandfather and shows off his involvement in the sport of trap shooting. The flag represents his love for the South, where some of his ancestors are from.

'He loves the Southern culture, and the Confederate flag is part of the South,' [his mother] said. 'If people want to call him a bigot or racist . . . they don't know him.'"

Inappropriate or Censorship
Topic: Government Intrusion
The June 1 issue of the Waukesha Freeman carried the following article (picture also at link, but its not archived for long):

School: Photo showing gun, Confederate flag inappropriate
Family calls move censorship

By BRIAN HUBER - GM Today Staff

CITY OF PEWAUKEE - A City of Pewaukee family is complaining of censorship after Pewaukee School District officials refused to publish a yearbook photo showing 18-year-old Tyler Schultz posing with a gun in front of a Confederate flag.

Although the photo has been in the hands of the yearbook staff since the fall, the family learned last week it was not going in, and that the photo was cropped for a Wednesday banquet where Schultz was honored as Student of the Year for Technical Education, said Schultz's mother, Tammy Ankomeus.

"He actually handed it to the yearbook adviser and she told him it looked fine," Ankomeus said. "The only reason this came up, I think, is he was honored as student of year. That's when the picture came to the attention of the principal (Marty Van Hulle) who informed us that it had been cropped for the yearbook and we hadn't been told about it."

Schultz displayed the gun to show his enthusiasm for trapshooting, which he participates in at the Menomonee Falls Rod and Gun Club. He shot 50 out of 50 recently, Ankomeus said. She added that he displays the Confederate flag to feel closer to family members with deep roots in several Southern states.

Schultz also drives a truck with a rebel flag and the words "Country Boy" in the window and has the word "Redneck" on the back of his senior shirt, Ankomeus said. She added he has worn clothing supporting the South in school previously, and no one has ever reported a problem with it.

"He is very upset. He is very disappointed," Ankomeus said. "He is who he is, and they are not allowing him to be who he wants to be. They are kind of censoring that."

But District Superintendent JoAnn Sternke said it was not an issue of censorship. It was one of a yearbook photo promoting a message the school felt was inappropriate.

"This is not about Tyler. Tyler is a great kid," Sternke said. "This is about what we deem appropriate in school publications."

Sternke said the district believed it might offend someone who sees the yearbook to see a photo of a student posing armed in front of the Confederate flag. The district apologized for the timing of the decision, but it acted as soon as the issue came to Van Hulle's attention, Sternke said.

"The school district doesn't condone the placement of a gun with a Confederate flag in the school yearbook. I think it's the two together where it could be misconstrued," she said.

"Weapons or images of this sort are not something we endorse or condone in this environment. ... As the yearbook is representative of the school and a publication of Pewaukee High School, it is by its very nature an extension of the school and school district and therefore it is reasonable for us to regulate the messages the school sends via our publications."

Ankomeus said the last two yearbooks both contained pictures displaying guns, one discussing a movie and the other showing armed U.S. soldiers.

Sternke said she has not investigated that. Student appearance, while that can also be regulated, is a different issue than a permanent record like a yearbook, Sternke said.

"We need to be cognizant of a broader audience of who sees that yearbook," she said. "While they do not find that an offensive message, some might."

And while Ankomeus said she plans on offering a different photo of her son for the fall yearbook, she said the whole episode has taught her son and entire family a different sort of lesson.

"They are just afraid of offending people. It hasn't offended anyone yet," Ankomeus said. "They are afraid it might, which is called prior censorship."

What say you? Censorship or editing inappropriate images?