Lee’s Summit Journal Editorial Blasts LSW Students Right to Free Speech

Lee's Summit Journal - Our Editorial: Racism not a joking matter:

In learning of the recent suspension of two Lee's Summit West High School students for alleged racist remarks, we at the Journal are disappointed that students representing the Lee's Summit R-7 School District and the community are still grappling with appropriateness in terms of bigotry and racism.

In short, the mother of one of two band members at LSW said they were suspended for alleged remarks made about tying a noose during a conversation regarding securing band equipment.

The school district claims there was more to the incident, but could not comment further; the mother said it was an innocent conversation about knots.

Both parties agree the same group, LSW band members, was recently counseled "about a variety of racially tinged remarks alleged to have been made by various members of the group."

Regardless of what was actually said during the "noose" conversation, it is appalling that these students even needed a reminder that negative, racially charged comments about fellow classmates are unacceptable.

For as far as this country has come with civil rights - and there is still a ways to go - it is ridiculous that there should be anyone, least of all students, still confused about what is inappropriate and was is not.

While we don't know for certain all of the details surrounding this incident, it must be clear that racist, bigoted comments are not acceptable on any level - even in a joking matter - because nobody can ever be certain about another's feelings on the topic.

I find this editorial appearing in Wednesday’s 11/28 issue of the Lee’s Summit Journal offensive. In taking this ACTION the writer took to task the two students who had an allegedly racist conversation, and supported the Schools right to punish the boy’s with nearly the maximum ACTION available, 2 weeks suspension.

The School refuses to tell us all of what happened for “Privacy Reasons”, but let us review what we do know:

• Two boys were having a discussion.
• The WORD “Noose” came up in the conversation
• A Third boy heard the conversation and took offense to the WORD “Noose”
• The third boy reported the offensive WORD to a Teacher.
• The School District ACTED by suspending for 2 weeks the two boys for having an alleged racist conversation.
• The first two boys took no ACTIONS against the third boy who reported the conversation, and was not physically harmed in anyway.

Looking at these events it strikes me that both the School and the Journal have lost sight of the difference between WORDS and ACTIONS. No matter what the WORDS were that the boys said, no racist or physical ACTIONS were even contemplated by the boys. Yet the boys were punished with nearly the most drastic ACTION available to the district. And this ACTION could do permanent harm to the boys, especially if they are competing for college admission or scholarships.

When the framers of the Constitution granted us the right of Free Speech, they didn’t grant us the right to ACT as we want, they gave us the right to SPEAK as we want. They knew the difference between ACTIONS and WORDS, ACTIONS leave physical evidence, WORDS only represent thoughts and leave no physical evidence.

It concerns me that first the school and now the press is ready to penalize us all for our WORDS with their ACTIONS. Will the Police be next, will we be charged for ACTIONS when we only speak WORDS? Should one be charged with “Attempted Murder” for just uttering the WORDS, “I’m going to kill you?”, even though I would find someone saying those WORDS to me offensive, I hope not, and I hope that neither the Press nor the School District will continue to punish WORDS with ACTIONS. Or at least make the ACTION fit the crime, and what should the ACTION be for saying the WORD “Noose”?

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