Everyone in America has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression.
Everyone in America has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
It’s a basic human right. We have opinions on issues and we should be allowed to express those without fear, intimidation and threats.
The students at Live Oak and Ann Sobrato high schools exercised that right last Monday and again Friday, protesting immigration reforms that would have turned many of their undocumented relatives and friends into “criminals.”
It was refreshing to see the mostly Hispanic crowd walking the local streets feeling safe and free to express their anger at the Congressional bill.
Many, too young to understand, were oblivious to the fact that in countries like Iraq and Nepal thousands are killed and repressed to keep those opinions silenced.
Not in the United States. Not in California and not in Morgan Hill and in many of our South County communities.
It was encouraging to see Morgan Hill School District officials strengthening the students’ right to expression by encouraging school-approved rallies to prevent future walkouts. It was also noteworthy that education officials made the students accountable for their actions by making them face consequences for exercising their right to express their anger at the congressional law. School officials chose to punish students with a one-day suspension, campus clean-up or an after-school forum. Cheers to the majority of students who voluntarily participated in the on-campus educational immigration forums on Thursday. Jeers to those who opted for the one-day suspension.
The best part of the largely peaceful protests nationwide, and the safe demonstrations here at home, is that it brought results and launched the issue to the forefront of everyone’s mind.
We believe school district officials were correct in implementing the three choices because of the walkout. Though the students exercised a First Amendment right this newspaper takes incredibly seriously, the students need to be accountable for their actions. The district taught the students a lesson in responsibility.
The protests would have sent a stronger message had the youth given up their Saturday morning or even their Monday afternoon to protest. It would have shown how seriously they take the immigration reform issue. When teenagers give up their TV, Xbox and myspace time to protest in the streets, then they’re playing for keeps.
