The rejection of a year book of a student of a mill river high school has ignited a picture characteristic of an firearm on free speech and school safety policies. The controversy has attracted national attention, inspired to discuss the school board meetings and online discussion. Advocacy groups and legal experts weighed on the issue, questioning editorial control and students’ rights.
Officials of the Mill River Unified Union School District denied the Senior Year Book Photo of Senior Preston Flanders, which showed him that Superintendent Brian Hill described as “AR-style rifle”. Flanders expressed disappointment over rejection, arguing that he presented the guidelines and his photo was no different from vehicles, sports equipment or pet students. He said that the gun was taken off in the picture, it was protected, and was pointed in a safe direction.
The school district cited concerns about maintaining a safe school environment. Hill said that when the firearms related to the firearm imagery hunting have appeared in the artwork, the administration determined that an AR-style rifle sent a different message in the portrait of one year book. Employees reviewed the previous year books and no example was found for such an image.
Flanders’ father, Nick Funders, resigned from the School Board on 10 February, including a busy program and his family and school citing possible legal action. He did not give further details. Hill said that he was unaware of any pending legal action.
The decision to reject the photo promoted the response of the national advocacy groups, including five Foundation for Kids, which works to prevent school violence. The group condemned the photo submission and supported the school stance, stating that it would be unfair to allow image in the year. If the school’s decision was reversed, he warned of possible protests.
At the school board meeting on 22 January, Preston Funders argued that his constitutional rights were violated. He cited the 14th amendment, claiming that the school had denied him of equal security and fixed process. He also mentioned the student Press Law Center, which advocates the rights of student journalists.
Vermont’s new Voice Law, passed in 2017, provides editorial control to student journalists on school-proposed publications unless the materials include unsafe speech. Jonathan Gaston-focus, a lawyer at the student Press Law Center, said that not the school administrator, the editors of the year book should determine whether to publish the photo. He said that it is not clear whether the editors have supported the image or not.
Hill said that students should review books to ensure suitability before accessing students to review the staff. While students contribute to year book production, Hill said that he was unaware of any editor advocating the inclusion of the photo.
The school board acknowledged the lack of clear policy on the submission of the year books. Chairman Andrea Hawkins said that the board referred to its policy committee to review the issue. The board selected the administration’s decision not to overrid.
Gun Sense Vermont, a gun regulation advocacy group, supported the school’s decision. Executive Director Conor Casey said that firearms are not in school places, including books of the year. He emphasized that gun -related deaths are the major causes of death for children and adolescents in the US and warned against normalizing the imagination of gun in school publications.
Disputes highlight students expression, school authority and comprehensive questions about community standards. While legal interpretations are different, the school district is moving towards clear guidelines to prevent equal disputes in future.
Lead image by ThealPhawolfpublic domain.
