My Principal is Trying to Suspend Me for… Free Speech?
About three years ago, my school saw a change in leadership when a new principal took over after my former principal retired. Unfortunately, this new principal has been quite problematic—he’s overtly biased and tends to ruffle a lot of feathers around the school. In our district, principals can’t fire teachers without serious grounds for termination, so he resorted to a form of bullying to push the teachers he disliked out of the school: excluding them from meetings and events, taking over their classrooms, and refusing to communicate with them. By the end of last school year, nearly all his least favorite teachers had departed.
The teachers made an admirable choice to keep quiet about the bullying until months after parting ways, as they didn’t want to influence students’ views of the principal. Sadly, the reality is that he succeeded in getting rid of them. Now, my classmates and I can’t even mention the names of our former teachers without facing backlash. It seems that talking about a teacher we once respected has become an offense, all because it might hurt the feelings of our current staff, many of whom seem to align with the principal.
Last week, we had an end-of-trimester play where we could read letters to a teacher of our choice. I had been waiting to participate since kindergarten and had my heart set on writing a letter to Mrs. D, a teacher who was like a mother to me during tough times. Unfortunately, she was one of the teachers the principal forced out. The remaining teachers even concocted some ridiculous “policy” stating that we could only write to current teachers or those who had retired—completely disregarding those who had been pushed out.
In the end, I chose to write about another teacher and highlighted how she shaped my education and values. However, while reviewing my letter, a teacher edited it to remove every mention of my former teachers, claiming it was too long—even though other letters were much longer. It felt dishonest, especially knowing I’d specifically noted the positive impact of the teachers we weren’t allowed to mention.
Frustrated by the ongoing corruption and pettiness, a friend and I decided to take a stand. Before reading my letter, we declared, “To the teachers we aren’t allowed to talk about, you’re still part of our community and I wouldn’t be here without you,” which got a huge reaction from the audience.
The next day, I was summoned to the principal’s office. He threatened to suspend me, called me a “horrible student” for questioning authority, and accused me of using the letter as a platform to promote my own agenda.
I’ve been reading about the Tinker v. Des Moines case, trying to assess whether my actions “materially and substantially interfered” with school operations. As far as I can tell, I didn’t break any rules—after all, there’s no guideline stating you can’t show appreciation for teachers. Plus, I’m a straight-A student, and the threat of suspension would seem highly questionable on my record. While I did spark some necessary conversations (which was my intention), I’m uncertain if it constitutes a significant disruption in class.
I really need to get a better grasp on my rights.
Ultimately, it would be up to the principal to justify my suspension to the district, and I can’t picture that going well:
“So, uh, Principal, can you explain why you want to suspend these students?”
“They… spoke out against censorship and expressed admiration for their former teachers.”
“Wait, what?!”
“Yeah, they talked about people I don’t like!”
“And you want to suspend them for that?”
“… Yeah?”
“…”
If anyone has advice on how to stand up for free speech in this situation, I’d really appreciate it!
First of all, I want to commend you for standing up for your beliefs and expressing appreciation for your teachers. It takes a lot of courage to confront authority, especially in the face of a situation like this.
You’re absolutely right to question the principal’s response and the actions taken against you. Based on what you’ve described, it doesn’t seem like you violated any rules, and you were exercising your right to free speech. The Tinker v. Des Moines case established that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” As long as your actions didn’t substantially disrupt the educational process, you have the right to express your feelings about your teachers.
Here are a few steps you can take to advocate for your rights:
Document Everything: Write down everything that happened, including dates, times, and the specifics of what was said to you. This will be helpful if you need to escalate the situation.
Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with your school’s policies on free speech and student conduct. If your school district has a student handbook, look it over for any relevant sections.
Talk to a Trusted Adult: Whether it’s a teacher you respect, a school counselor, or a family member, discuss the situation with someone who can help you navigate this. They may have more experience dealing with school administration.
Request a Meeting: Consider requesting a meeting with the principal (or someone higher up, like the district superintendent) to discuss your concerns. Bring your documentation and calmly explain your side of the story.
Gather Support: Talk to other students who feel similarly and consider organizing a peaceful demonstration or a petition to address the censorship issue. A united front can often be more effective.
Consider Legal Support: If the situation escalates, you might look into organizations that help students with their rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They can provide guidance and support.
Stay Calm and Respectful: While it’s frustrating to deal with adults who may not be behaving appropriately, staying calm and respectful in your discussions will help your case. Showing maturity in the face of adversity can work in your favor.
Remember, you have every right to voice your opinions and support the educators who have impacted your life. Good luck, and stay strong in your pursuit of free speech!