GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
Do you remember Ken Starr? Well, having failed to convict Bill Clinton of a blow job, Kenny Starr is now helping an Alaska school board attack the 1st Amendment against high-school senior, Joseph Frederick, in the "kids will be kids" escapade, the infamous "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner case -- and Starr is doing it free of charge.
Click here to see this evil, evil banner in its own window.
Frederick was suspended in 2002 after he unfurled the 14-foot-long banner -- a reference to marijuana use -- just outside school grounds as the Olympic torch relay moved through the Alaskan capital headed for the Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Bong," as noted in the appeal filed with the justices, "is a slang term for drug paraphernalia."
Even though Frederick was standing on a public sidewalk, school officials argue that he and other students were participating in a school-sponsored event. They had been let out of classes and were accompanied by their teachers.
[ .. ]
Starr, who is now dean of the law school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, urged the high court in his appeal brief to clear up the "doctrinal fog infecting student speech jurisprudence."
Cited story.
Comments
This reminds me of an old New Yorker (I think) cartoon showing a panel of robed judges with an old lady standing in front of them. On of the judges is whispering to the other: "Her landlady kicked her cat! How did this end up in the Supreme Court?"
Posted by: T. Bruce McNeely | December 4, 2006 1:31 PM
I came across this story somewhere yesterday and was totally amazed at the stupidity of the whole thing. Puhleeze... making a big deal out of a kid with a banner up in Alaska?! Kenny, have you *nothing* better to do with your time these days? Hoo hah ha!!!
Posted by: bev | December 4, 2006 4:35 PM
Guys like Roberts prove what schmucks they are with decsions like this, thinking they can control everything for the sake of their ideas, or their money, or their pride, or their power. And that's what got us into Iraq in the first place, a bunch of narrow-minded, gung-ho "we-know-what's-best-for-you-trust-us" idiots who don't care how many people are hurt long as they stay in control. So when your kid finally decides he doesn't want to die in Iran, will it be reported on the evening news? Or will Fearless Leader just pan us another excuse we're afraid to respond to?
Posted by: Tony L | June 25, 2007 11:27 PM
i laughed and loved it, after all when do you hear and see stuff like this? not that often huh? our society craves the focus of attention this will all be forgotten 15 seconds from now. as for free speech our country lost that when we decided it was more important on being politically correct all the time. it's a kid for christ's sake...pardon the pun.
Posted by: daniel pena | June 27, 2007 5:17 AM