Violating the First Amendment

Honors student J.P. Krause won the election for senior class president at Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Fla. And then, all of a sudden, his victory was stripped from him. Summarily, the high school’s administrators stripped him of his new position, and, to add insult to injury, gave him detention. Why? Because Krause delivered a satirical campaign speech that channeled Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rhetoric and, in jest, claimed his opponent was a Communist. It was “harassment,” the principal concluded.

After Krause’s classmates chanted “speech, speech,” he gave an impromptu speech that kept his fellow classmates laughing for well over a minute. “I am for freedom, equality, and liberty,” he said. His opponent? Well, she wants to “advance Communist ideals,” he smirked. “She will raise taxes to 80 percent!” Krause also suggested in jest that his opponent supports their rivals at the nearby high school, whereas he would “build a wall” between the two schools — and make their rival pay for it. No one thought Krause was serious.

The room, full of honors students in U.S. History, seemed to be well aware of the parallels Krause was making between his campaign speech and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign speeches. The teacher allowed the off-the-cuff speech to continue, and there wasn’t any reaction by students inside the classroom but laughter. Nevertheless, the speech not only disqualified Krause from taking up the reins as class president, it also added “harassment” to his school record. “The administration took my speech out of context and said I was harassing a student,” Krause tells National Review.


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