Students right to written protest

Question

There are students at our high school in Washington State that want to write letters to the Vice Superintendant of Schools protesting the duration of a particular students suspension and the vice principal of the school has told the students to "butt out or you will have to testify in court". The suspended childs' brother has now been suspended because he would not stop handing out a letter to friends before school. The cause for his suspension was was labeled 'insubordination'.

Answer

Hi Debbie,

Please keep in mind that I cannot provide specific legal advice in this forum.

However, generally speaking, the right to petition any government official for a redress of grievances is protected by the First Amendment. School officials have some authority to prevent such actions in the schools if they are disruptive to the educational process, but they cannot prevent it entirely. I would advise the suspended brother to contact the ACLU and to see if they want to start a case.