Student sues school over free speech issue

Noah Cohen
COM365 - 1/21/07

The parents of Alan Alda High School sophomore Colleen Urban filed suit in Philadelphia federal court Friday after school administrators suspended their daughter for wearing an anti-war t-shirt.
Colleen’s shirt read, “If there is a God, she would end the war in Iraq”. Colleen wore the shirt without issue until history teacher Jan Gorlin told Colleen “I only teach students who really value what America stands for.”
Gorlin also told Colleen “you brought this on yourself – this would be so much easier if you just let God into your heart.”
Gorlin then escorted Colleen to the principal’s office. Vice Principal Maureen Reed demanded Colleen change shirts. According to Colleen, Reed threw a school shirt at her face.
The Urbans have retained the services of Wilmington, Delaware law firm Tinker, Evers and Chance to sue the district for violating their daughters First Amendment rights.
The suit is also charging that comments made by the history teacher violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
“She’s not in a great frame of mind right now, but she really wasn’t trying to disrupt anything” said Colleen’s mother, Rose Urban.
Marty Urban, Colleen’s father, said that all Americans should be allowed to speak freely. “All of us – and that includes students – should be allowed to say what we want.”
School officials offer a different position. Vice Principal Maureen Reed said “We just wanted to ensure that Colleen’s actions didn’t get in the way of learning,”
Mike Bauer, the Alan Alda High School Principal called the shirt offensive and supported the actions of his colleagues.
Principal Bauer called Colleen’s parents and told them Colleen was “disrupting the educational environment” before having the fifteen year old escorted out of the school by security officers.
The security guard then made Colleen wait outside in frigid weather for her parents to arrive.
The Urban’s attorney Shelia McGee strongly disagreed with the districts claim of needing to maintain order. “The school district’s right to maintain order ends when a student hasn’t disrupted anything.’
McGee underscored the free speech issue by saying “Students do not leave their opinions and their right to free expression at the schoolhouse gate.”
According to McGee the case will center on the districts violation of the Establishment Clause of Constitution.
The Establishment clause allows for freedom of religion and prevents bias based on religious preference, according to the American Civil Liberties Union web site.