teachers rallying behind students interrogated by the Secret Service

http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?s=%20%201268949

OAKLAND (KRON) -- Some teachers in Oakland are rallying behind two students who were interrogated by the Secret Service. That followed remarks the teenagers made about the President during a class discussion. The incident has many people angry.

For years the classroom has been the setting for the free expression of ideas, but two weeks ago certain ideas led to two students being taken out of class and grilled by the United States Secret Service.

It happened at Oakland High. The discussion was about the war in Iraq. That's when two students made comments about the President of the United States. While the exact wording is up for debate, the teacher didn't consider it mere criticism, but a direct threat and she called the Secret Service.

Teacher Cassie Lopez says, "They were so shaken up and afraid."

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jeez o flip

...is a Federal crime I believe. Even joking about it can get you in trouble.

"I tell you the looks on those childrens faces. I don't know if they'll say anything about anything ever again. Is that what we want? I don't think we want that," says Lopez.

Oh, Ms. Lopez -- but that is exactly what they want. Including the teacher who reported them to the Secret Service -- they were intellectually inconvenient, they have all these thoughts, you see. Thoughts that are different from hers. And we all know that's dangerous.

Jesus H. Christ -- if they'd behaved like this back in the '80s, I'd have been locked away with Secret Service agents every other week for some of the shit I said about Ronald Reagan in the run-up to his first term. This is just sad.

Holy shit...listen to what these SS assholes said.

"When one of the students asked, 'do we have to talk now? Can we be silent? Can we get legal council?' they were told, 'we own you, you don't have any legal rights,'" Felson says.

Thank God for the teachers who stuck up for those kids!

this is terrifying. . .free speech my butt. . .

I didn't notice the kids grade or age. . .or did I scan too quickly?

At any age. . .would be terribly intimidating I suppose.

If I actually ever heard it I don't remember.

only: "While the exact wording is up for debate, the teacher didn't consider it mere criticism, but a direct threat and she called the Secret Service."

You don't interrogate a juvenile without parents present. And I do believe everyone has the right to remain silent. This scares me, because I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of this if Shrub steals the election again.

n/t

It was against the law to make threats against Bill Clinton. It was against the same law to make threats against the elder Bush. It is still against the law.

There are only two options. Either the students did say something that could be perceived as a threat or close enough or they didn't. If they did, then he was correct to inform legal authorities. If they didn't, then he is an idiot.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2004-04-27-artwork_x.htm

4/27/2004 9:26 AM

Secret Service questions teen about anti-war drawings

PROSSER, Wash. (AP) — Secret Service agents questioned a high school student about anti-war drawings he did for an art class, one of which depicted President Bush's head on a stick.
Another pencil-and-ink drawing portrayed Bush as a devil launching a missile, with a caption reading "End the war — on terrorism."

The 15-year-old boy's art teacher at Prosser High School turned the drawings over to school administrators, who notified police, who called the Secret Service.

"We involve the police anytime we have a concern," Prosser Superintendent Ray Tolcacher told the Tri-City Herald newspaper.

Secret Service agents interviewed the boy last Friday. The student, who was not arrested, has not been identified.

<snip>
The drawing that drew the most notice showed a man in what appeared to be Middle Eastern-style clothing, holding a rifle. He was also holding a stick with an oversize head of the president on it.

The student said the head was enlarged because it was intended to be an effigy, Cravens said. The caption called for an end to the war in Iraq.


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