15 December 2009

W.Va. Lawmaker Runs Afoul of First Amendment

Morgan County's school board has come down on the side of Berkeley Springs High students who had been targeted by Delegate Daryl Cowles over their apparent show of political activism, The Associated Press reports.

The students had been "wearing T-shirts in favor of national health care coverage," the article said. Cowles, R-Morgan, "said he was worried they were being manipulated by the group Single Payer Action, which produced the shirts."

A statement from county Superintendent David Bank said that "students wearing shirts or buttons to support a cause is nothing new at county schools," AP reported. "As long as students aren't disruptive, Banks says, there's nothing wrong with such actions."

The Journal of Martinsburg has coverage here and here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to see what the board's position was if the shirts had been against the health care proposal or anti Obama.
Want to bet it wouldn't be the same?

Anonymous said...

Not surprised that a West Virginia legislator doesn't understand the First Amendment. And if Anonymous thinks that a school board in Morgan County is full of liberal Democrats, then he/she/it doesn't know much about WV politics.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Crowles is being manipulated by insurance lobbyists.