Colleen's Crusade

Amy Breckin
Professor Bishop
Com. 365-001
January 22, 2007

Freedom of Expression or Extremely Offensive?

“If there is a God, she would end the war in Iraq.” This phrase started a debate on Friday at Alan Alda High School when 15-year-old sophomore Colleen Urban was suspended for wearing a t-shirt to school with this phrase printed on it. Alan Alda High School principal, Mike Bauer suspended Colleen for wearing this t-shirt which he found to be offensive and told Colleen’s parents, Rose and Marty Urban that Colleen’s wearing of the t-shirt was “disrupting the educational environment.”

On Friday, Colleen attended her first four periods of school without a single comment about the t-shirt that she was wearing. When she reached her fifth period U.S. History class, Colleen’s teacher, Jan Gorlin, made several derogatory remarks to the class about Colleen’s t-shirt. Jan Gorlin told the class, “I only teach students who really value what America stands for.” While Colleen and Jan Gorlin were walking to Principal Bauer’s office, Jan Gorlin told Colleen, “you brought this on yourself—this would be so much easier if you just let God into your heart.” Jan Gorlin then grabbed Colleen by the arm and led her to Principal Bauer’s office.

Upon arrival at Principal Bauer’s office, vice principal of Alan Alda High School, Maureen Reed, demanded that Colleen remove the t-shirt that she was wearing and put on a t-shirt with the Alan Alda High School logo. Vice Principal Reed threw the t-shirt with the school’s logo at Colleen hitting her in the face with the t-shirt. Colleen refused to change her t-shirt. Principal Bauer called Colleen’s parents and a school security guard escorted Colleen to the front entrance of the building where she was told to wait outside of the building in the freezing cold temperatures for her parents to arrive and take her home.

Colleen’s parents, Rose and Marty Urban, have filed suit in U.S. federal court in Philadelphia. Rose and Marty Urban feel that their daughter’s First Amendment right to freedom of expression has been violated and that Jan Gorlin’s comments go against the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The Urban’s did express their feelings about this issue and what transpired between the school and their daughter on Friday, Rose Urban explains, “she’s [Colleen] not in a great frame of mind right now, but she really wasn’t trying to disrupt anything- she just wanted to state her opinion about the war.” Marty Urban shared his raw emotion as well, “This is America, isn’t it? All of us—and that includes students—should be allowed to say what we want.”

And the debate between freedom of expression and what is deemed offensive continues. Vice Principal Reed contends that her actions in this situation were acceptable based on maintaining discipline in the classroom she explained, “We just wanted to ensure that Colleen’s actions didn’t get in the way of learning.” Reed also contends, “We have every right to put a stop to potentially disruptive actions.” On the other side of this debate is attorney Sheila McGee from Tinker, Evers, and Chance of Wilmington, Delaware representing the Urban family in their suit. McGee says, “The school district’s right to maintain order ends when a student hasn’t disrupted anything.” She continues, “Students do not leave their opinions and their right to free expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

Stay tuned for more on this debate between freedom of expression and what is deemed offensive, and who gets the final say.