Can I be suspended for a swastika?

Question

So the other week I had a black swastika with a red outline on the top of my hand and it wasnt till about 5th period when I got in trouble for it and sent to the admisitrative assitace office... and I got suspended for 2(two) days and I believe that I CAN NOT be suspened for haveing a swastika on my body if it was already there before I came to school that day... I would really like to know if I really cant be suspended for that and if I can get the school into trouble

Answer 1

Yes they can. You're a student and I'm sure it's written somewhere in school policy. Some schools can keep you from wearing short skirts; most can keep you from expressing hate towards other students.

Answer 2

Let me ask you this: were you doing it simply for the shock value? Also, I don't know if you are aware that people have been suspended for doing similar things, although in the other case it was a Wiccan girl who chose to wear her pentacle to school. She got in trouble because the school officials claimed it was a gang symbol. (I can't think of any gangs I have heard of that use a five-pointed star either right-side up or upside down as their symbol, but that shows how much people know( or don't!)). She had to go to the ACLU and have them sue the school board on her behalf, and she did win. Having said that, I also don't know if you are aware there are actually two forms of the swastika, the right armed one, and the left armed one. I'm guessing you went with the Hitler model, which is the "bad" one. The other one is actually a "good" symbol, but people are so sensitized to the symbol itself that it won't matter which one you are using. *Are* you a neo-Nazi skin-head?

Answer 3

The leading case on student free speech rights is called Tinker et al. v. Des Moines Independent Community School District et al., decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in the late 1960s.

Schools have the authority to prohibit otherwise constitutionally protected speech that would substantially disrupt or materially interfere with school activities. They can also regulate speech intrudes upon the rights of other students or collides with the rights of other students to be secure and to be let alone.

Considering the meaning behind the swastika, I'm sure a court would uphold your suspension.

Answer 4

yes they can suspend you. first amendment rights have limitations when they are applied in a school setting. why would you have a swastika anyway. wee you doing it because you were try to be like the Nazis? that stupid and just plain ignorant. kinda sucks because before the Nazis got a hold of the swastika, it was actually a symbol of prosperity and meant many other good things in other religions such as Buddhism. just shows you how one group of people can ruin something forever

Answer 5

They most certainly CAN suspend you for breaking the rules. This would fall under a dress code, any hate speech rule or rule against offensive materials, or disobeying a faculty member asking you to remove it. The courts decided long ago minors are NOT guaranteed freedoms of press, religion, speech, due process.....anything, especially in a school setting. Sorry, you're alone legally.

Answer 6

i honestly doubt they can do that. they might ask you to remove it or cover it up though. there is this thing called the first amendment and no school is above it. the swastika doesnt really mean anything harmful, it has more meaning than being a symbol of the Nazi party. it has been around for a long time and is found in many religions. if you threatened to kill Jews then i could see a suspension being reasonable but otherwise its ridiculous. it is freedom of speech no matter what the swastika symbolizes in your mind. get a lawyer and sue the crap out of the school, they had no right to suspend you for a symbol on your hand.

Answer 7

Tell them you're a buddhist. Long before NAZIs existed, eastern religions used the swastika as a religious symbol. Go take a trip to some temples in east Asia sometime, you'd probably see swastikas most everywhere..

Answer 8

You can get suspended for many things. If you feel it was unjustified ..... you can appeal. A 2 day suspension .... I think ... for an offensive mark like that ..... is mild. I don't think your parents or many people would take your side. Try to go to school without causing any disruption ... you're there to learn and have fun doing it.

Millions of older Americans wish they had their high school days back. Don't waste yours by getting in trouble like this ....

If you like art .... express yourself in Art class..

Answer 9

Why would you do that? Do you understand the horrors that Hilter and the Nazis reaked on the world?

Yes, they can. Most schools have some kind of dress code governing wearing objectionable content. Get a life you punk.

Answer 10

If you believe in what the swastika means (or at least what the MODERN swastika means), then yes. You believe that Jews need to be exterminated, and need a serious attitude adjustment. That warrants suspension.

If you're just wearing the swastika for sheer shock value, you just need a smack upside the head. The last thing you need to be starting playground fights with your non-white class mates just because you thought it's be cool to "stick it to The Man" with your First Amendment games. Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing. Don't abuse it just because you get a kick out of pissing people off.

Answer 11

...this doesn't even warrant a proper response... are you serious?!

Of course they're within their rights to suspend you, you've offended the majority of your peers just by coming IN like that!--plus most of the people you've admitted it to here. I hope you realize the full extent of what you've done sooner rather than later, that really crosses the line...