School tells student to pay $1,000 to remove peace display

As a senior "prank," some students planted $600 worth of marigolds in the shape of a peace sign. They're in trouble for that. For that? Many parents have come forward to offer their help in removing the flowers, but the district insists on having professionals do it. (Oregonian)

Comments

[KC]

"The students should sue the school for violating their constitutional right to free speech by removing the flowers."

The notion that planting things on someone else's property without permission constitutes "free speech" is laughable in the extreme. By that reasoning, graffiti would be constitutionally protected. This may be nice looking and well-intentioned vandalism, but it's vandalism nevertheless.

[Sean, Torrington CT]

It was a public school, who owns that property? The public.

[Starman]

Some idiots from my former high school poured green paint in a rival's swimming pool. Talk about a mess and $50,000 damage to the filter system!

Would it hurt to leave the flowers there for a season? I would be a pain to mow around, but gee, lighten UP!

BTW..I live about two blocks from Whitman College! I
used to work there, too! Nice Place!

[UpperClass Becky]

For all of you "negative-peace" posters: this girl is about 18. what she did was a symbolic gesture, kind of like putting up a Christmas tree. She isn't really old enough to get involved in politics to the point of making a real change. So this gesture expresses a desire to change things. And there is nothing wrong with that.

When people first heard "Imagine" by John Lennon, they were ready to lynch him. Without listening to the lyrics, they jumped to the conclusion that he was saying there was no god or heaven, religion was a thing of the past. AND...everyone was bummed when he did "Give Peace A Chance". Give peace a chance? Why, that's ludicrous! Thats a foreign concept. Peace can't happen. What would we do for war? I am not a pacifist, per se. If this war were justified, or even legal, I'd be on board...not that I enjoy hearing about all these young men being killed. But I have a real problem with the war in Iraq because there is no justification what so ever for being there. So, anyone who advocates PEACE, by whatever means they choose, I can get behind. The "punishment" for this girl should have been no more than to have her dig the flowers up and replace the sod and grass. She's out $600 and will always hate the person who made her do it. Good lesson, huh?

[WZ]

Sean, the property belongs to the school. If the entire public voted on the flowers, that would be one thing, but they didn't; as such it's up to the school what flowers they want where.

[spacey]

becky you said everything i wanted to by the time i got to my post comment box.

whomever mentioned the people who aren't fessing up, i agree. if you cant stand by your actions, rethink them.

i honestly think the girl didnt think anyone would get in trouble...because it is the most RIDICULOUS thing to get in trouble for.

and there is a lesser fine for busting in the ranch dressing.

gimme a break!

[UpperClass Becky]

You've just got to wonder what people are thinking. As I've already said, If I lived in her area, I would lead the bake sale to pay her fine, even though it seems a little excessive to me. Hell, the school's whole take on this thing is a little excessive!

[Sterling H.]

A follow-up:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/05/about_100_volunteers_fix_wilso.html

[princessalex]

what a terrific ending to this ridiculous story! yay!! :D

[Soo]

Becky, I have to politely disagree with only one small portion of your last comment; the rest was quite spot-on.

The part I question is your suggestion that an 18-yr-old is not mature enough to engage in politics. If that were the case, then the voting age should be raised to the drinking age.

As a high schooler in gov't class, we were told that we could register to vote 6 months before our birthday, and get extra credit if we brought in our voter card. After I did that, I started paying attention to my world.

My very first election:

*I voted for an increase in the tax to improve county fire, rescue, and police departments.

*I voted against a 12-mil school levy added to the ballot to pay for buidling a school the voters (mostly farmers) proved in multiple prior elections they did not want.

*I voted in a couple of county officers and helped vote out one very corrupt officer.

I did all these things fully cognizant of the importance of my actions. For instance, if the levy passed, then more than half the farmers faced bankruptcy. It did fail, but the state intervened and forced the levy anyway. Many sold off their farms for subdivision development--farms that had been in their families since before the National Road came through.

As an 18-year-old, I was eager to join the ranks of civic-minded citizens. All 18-year-olds should be as interested and excited about making a difference in their world.

[UpperClass Becky]

Soo, there are not as many people like you as you might like to think. Ask an 18-year-old to pick a politition,s picture out of a stack of pictures, and they don't have a clue (I mean an average 18-year-old). Ask them about a politition's platform, they don't know. They are not much into history or geography, either. This is not stuff I'm grabbing out of mid air. There have been studies done. That's what a lot of testing in school is about. There are a handful who are on top of things, and I'm sure you were one of those. But on average, not so.

I really believe that the voting age and enlistment age should be raised, not to 21, but to 25. Most people by then, have some idea what's going on in the world and can make informed decisions. And it wouldn't bother me if the drinking age were raised to 25, either.

[UpperClass Becky]

someone please correctly spell polititan, on, cion? for me. it just doesn't look right! and, after taking all day to get a good connection, i can't spell! AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

[Soo]

I agree with your thoughts, Becky. I get so frustrated listening to 30-somethings going on and on about "G-Dub" but then I ask them politely how they voted in the last presidential election (assuming it wasn't G-Dub), and they didn't. Grrrr! If you didn't vote, you can't complain; that's my motto.

I just don't understand what they're not teaching in government classes these days. My gov't teacher was a tubby schmuck, but by the end of the year, most of us were convinced that we could change the world, one vote at a time. Do they even offer gov't classes any more?

[Sara Serra]

Politician.

Also, I believe the voting age should be raised to the drinking age - 21.

I also believe that you should have to be 21 to join the armed forces. That is a political decision, in my opinion, that goes along with voting.

After all that work we did in the 60's and 70's to get the voting age lowered to 18? Ah man.

[Soo]

I understand your frustration, Anon. However, the political climate from the 1950s-1970s was very charged; no one could escape being involved in politics. Unfortunately, the Reagan years created a very relaxed, "our government knows what it's doing" attitude. Scandals were quickly swept under the rug, pork spending became inconsequential.

Personally, I don't see how anyone could not become upset by how their elected officials conduct their business, particularly with regard to all the tax money we send them every paycheck. Unfortunately, too many people just gripe (if they even care at all), too many still "vote their party," and too many don't even go to the polls.

Being connected with the military, I am horrified to discover just how many people say keeping up with the elections is "hard work," and therefore don't vote. My response: WTF?! You fill out a sheet of paper, they send you ballots, you fill them out, you send them back in the postage-paid envelope provided. Voting done.

As I stated before, I don't know what's being taught in government class these days. Perhaps it's just not that interesting. Perhaps the people from my generation on down simply don't give a damn. Apathy is an ugly bedfellow. How does that saying go, "I've seen the enemy, and it is us"?

[Soo]

BTW, for those regular posters and lurkers who recall a thread from about a month ago discussing the Civil War and whether flags are placed on the graves of CSA soldiers:

Today is Memorial Day. I have been doing my research, and will be visiting a nearby CW cemetery to conduct a history lesson with the kids. I'll post my report and photos on my blog late tonight.

[princessalex]

soo,

"we have met the enemy and he is us."
--walt kelly (in "pogo" comic strip)

[Upperclass Becky]

Soo, I started to call you a responsible American. Then I thought, no, that's not quite right. So I thought some more. After reading your last post, I've come to the conclusion that you are what George Washigton and Thomas Jefferson would call a true Patriot. There aren't too many of those left today. Good for you.

Yes, I do remember. I was thinking about that last night and wondering if you would remember. You're two for two today. A Patriot and A Woman of Her Word! If you bake red, white, and blue cookies today, you'll hit one out of the park! (and you can send me some!:P)

[Upperclass Becky]

Oh, I couldn't get that link to work. Can someone please tell me what happened? I would appreciate it.

[Upperclass Becky]

PA, I wish I had unpacked my Funk & Wagnell(sp)Big Ass Dictionary. (of course, Big Ass isn't actually in the title of the book. It's just a Big Ass book!) It has a huge section on quotes. The quote you mentioned goes back further than that, but since I don't have access to my Big Ass book, I can't look it up and....wait, I have one of the best reference materials right at the tips of my fingers. Be Back Soon

[Upperclass Becky]

PA I started to correct you about the Walt Kelly quote, thinking it had been around for quite some time. We are both right. It was first used by Pogo in 1971! 1971!!!!! I feel so old.*<*

[Soo]

Thanks for the reference! I'll make note of it.

[ReginaFilangee]

Soo, I tried to go to your blog to read about your Memorial Day field trip, but I'm just getting sent to a plain blue page with your name on it...which isn't clickable. Nothing else there except the Typekey logo, which is clickable, but that takes me to a Typekey info page.

I suppose I could register if I have to, but I didn't have any problem last time I went. Wut up? *pout*

[Soo]

It shouldn't even be a typekey thing; I've got a blogger account run by google.

/Stern announcer voice/ We are currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by...

[Soo]

Hmmm. Try it now, and if that doesn't work, type in

www.sosoomi.blogspot.com

and see where that gets you.

[Soo]

I have discovered the source of the problem.

I was hanging out on Wil Wheaton's blog which is on Typekey. I logged in and for some reason that is what my auto-filler put into the URL line.

So sorry for the dumbassery. Please try again. I've got my trip report posted now, with a small photo collage.

[ReginaFilangee]

Okay, it works now! Thanks.

Off to read....

[Upperclass Becky]

Nicely done piece, Soo. And thanks again for doing it. Many of us will appreciate it. At least I hope so.

[S.O.]

Glad this Oregon story had a happy ending.

Agree with Soo on 18 year olds and the vote - I do have more hope for youth but think positive challenges are necessary (more to life than computer games and the "culture" of grinding).

Re war and peace, I like peace a whole lot better than war, but the absence of war is not necessarily peace.

[Upperclass Becky]

Well, I disagree about most 18 year olds. In my life, I've just seen too many. Maybe that's the problem, I've become jaded.

Absence of war is not necessarily peace. Boy, that's a moouthful! Unfortunately, this war is a double edged sword. Soo, and women like her can attest to that. No one sane wanted this war. But here it is. Now, how do we get out of it? No exit strategy!? That's just insane! But I'm sure that's not what Donald Rumsfeld had in mind when he was promoting himself. And that's not what Bush had in mind when he said "Don't worry, Daddy, I'll get him fer ya!" And he did! Yes, he did. Now what? Hussein has been got, tried, found guilty, and executed. And the war goes on. Why can't Bush just say he made a mistake, and a big mess, pay Iraq whatever reparation it's going to cost to get out of there, and then get out of there? But, as you said, the absence of war is not neccessarily peace. You are absolutely correct. The absence of war is 9/11. And there should be no absence of war there. But according to what we see, read and hear, there is. Where is the war in Afghanistan, by the way? Didn't I hear a rumor about one over there? Hmmmmm...