Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Oklahoma
Freedom of thought and expression in school?
2 Questions
1. Can a student be punished or told not to say the word "God" while in a classroom, or other area of the school? (ex. Awe God, I can't find my paper.)
2. Can a student be punished for stating his/her opinion on a faculty member? (ex. the student saying that they do not like the faculty member)
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Freedom of thought and expression in school?
Freedom of speech, as long as it does
not amount to slander, is constitu-
tionally protected. A school
attempting to prohibit the use of the
word "God" might ultimately subject
itself to a lawsuit. However,
when it comes to expressing an opinion
about a faculty member, the school's
interest in protecting the reputation
of a teacher and in promoting
good manners might prevail.