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News Regional & State News Schuylkill County school district asks US Supreme Court to hear case
Sunday, 23 October 2011 13:15

Schuylkill County school district asks US Supreme Court to hear case

Written by  Megan Lello, witf Reporter and Producer

(Harrisburg) -- A Myspace parody of a central Pennsylvania middle school principal is at the center of a case that could make its way to the US Supreme Court. Four years ago, a federal circuit appeals court overturned the suspension of a Blue Mountain School District student who created a malicious video about her middle school principal. But lawyers for the Schuylkill County school district have filed a petition with the nation's highest court, asking for the ruling to be reversed. Wes Oliver, an associate professor of law at Widener University in Harrisburg, says free speech rights should apply equally to adults and children. "If adults can do this, if adults can mock their members of Congress and their university professors, it's sort of a strange thing to say that the creative expression, however vulgar, is somehow different," he says. Oliver says the case is difficult because it deals with the Internet, which hasn't yet been the subject of many court cases. The student's lawyers are expected to respond to the petition by next month. It's not known when the Supreme Court will decide whether or not to take up the case.

Last modified on Sunday, 23 October 2011 13:22
Megan Lello, witf Reporter and Producer

Megan Lello, witf Reporter and Producer

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