Should High School Athletes Be Allowed to Exercise First Amendment Rights?

Should High School Athletes Be Allowed to Exercise First Amendment Rights?

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On September 11, 2020, Little Miami High School hosted a football game. When the athletes came running out of the tunnel, Jarad Bentley carried the “Thin Blue Line” flag to honor fallen police officers and Brady Williams carried the “Thin Red Line” flag to honor fallen fire fighters. The boys thought this would be a fitting tribute on the 19th anniversary of the attacks on our country that killed over 3,000 Americans.

A day before the game, the students asked if they could carry these flags onto the field. They claim they were given permission. However, prior to the game, the decision switched. The boys were told they could not. After conferring with the team, the two boys decided to do it anyway. After the game, the boys were suspended. “We can’t have students who decide to do something anyway after they’ve been told that they shouldn’t be doing it,” said superintendent Gregory Power.

Within a few days of community pressure, the suspension was reversed. Both boys were reinstated. Kellie Williams, mother of Brady Williams was proud of her son for exercising his first amendment rights, saying, “Sometimes standing for something that’s right, means you may stand alone. I’m proud of the son we have raised. A son that knows right from wrong. He knows the importance of honoring the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice at a time when he wasn’t even born.”

Kellie went on to argue that if some athletes can kneel while the National Anthem is played and carry “Black Lives Matter,” signs, she argues that other kids can exercise their first amendment rights as well.

Joe’s Perspective: To me, this is a simple case. If you allow high school athletes to kneel during the national anthem or support, “Black Lives Matter,” you must also allow other students to express their own personal beliefs. However, the larger question on the stance of allowing high school athletes to exercise 1st Amendment Rights as a whole, is difficult. Why? Once you put on that team uniform, you are representing your school. It’s no longer about you or your personal beliefs. Your beliefs might clash with those on your team or with parents in the stands. Your beliefs might create a political divide in the community.

Your Turn: So, what do you believe? Do you think high school athletes should be allowed to exercise 1st Amendment rights before competitions?

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  1. i think the student athletes should be able to exercise there first amendment right as long as they do it in a calm and respectful manner.

    1. I think all students should be respected and have access their rights. I think all athletes should be able to exercise and do what they want to do. I think athletes need to be respectful and be above everyone else.

  2. Student athletes should be able to exercise their first amendment right when talking about social justice issues and world issues because they are people before athletes. For example, Black athletes are black before they are an athlete so they should be able to use their platform to educate others and bring awareness to issues that impact them and others.

  3. I believe that athletes should be able to exercise the first amendment right. Student athletes should be highly respected, because they have opinions that will be able to change the world eventually. They should be able to speak their opinion

  4. i think that they should be able to exercise their first amendment rights but that it all has to be done in a respectful manner and not cause anything with what they are doing on purpose

  5. I think that athletes should be able to do this because it is one of their God-given rights. Athletes are people before they are people who play sports, so as long as they are being respectful and a good sport to the other team, they should be allowed to exercise this right.

  6. i do believe that students should be able to voice their opinions. i do not think what they did was wrong or overstepped any boundaries, it was indeed for a good reason, and nothing more.

  7. I do think they did the right thing. We should be able to voice our own opinions. They did it in a respectful manner, and did it for a good reason.

  8. I believe that athletes should be able to say what they want because athletes can have a lot of impact on the way people see them

  9. i think they should be able to do this if they are being respectfully about it, and have been told they are aloud to do so by their coach it school.

  10. I think that athletes should be able to exercise their first amendment right as long as they do it respectfully and also respect other people’s opinions as well.

  11. Yes they should be allowed to. One it is called a first amendment right for a reason, and two it is not like they are excersising it by doing anything illegal or trashing on their country

  12. I do think that if you are able to kneel to the anthem, that you should be able to use your 1st amendment rights. If the school doesn’t allow you to do something, you probably shouldn’t do it unless it is a hypocritical situation. And even then you should still respect your school and what they have set in place.

  13. I believe that student athletes should be able to use their first amendment rights as long as it is done respectfully and in a controlled and calm manner.

  14. I do think that if you are able to kneel to the anthem, that you should be able to use your 1st amendment rights. If the school doesn’t allow you to do something, you probably shouldn’t do it unless it is a hypocritical situation.

  15. I do think students should be allowed to do this. If anyone is allowed to do this why can’t student athletes? The only way I don’t think this should be allowed is if they used it as a platform to show inappropriate or non respectful things.

  16. In my opinion, as long as the athletes present their opinion appropriately and respectfully they should be able to present their views. Although, at a game may be a bit excessive as there is much better places to present your view points.

  17. I believe that athletes in high school SHOULD be able to exercise their first amendment rights. If the students are standing up for what they believe in in a respectful and peaceful manner they should be able to do so.

  18. I believe that students should be allowed to exercise their first amendment right in a respectful way that meets school guidelines. I don’t think they should be able to exercise it right before a game necessarily all the time, but they should still have the choice to be able to.

  19. I think students should stand up for what they believe in and voice there opinion, I think it would be different if they did in disrespectfully but from what I read they were very respectful about the whole situation.

  20. I think student athletes should be able to express their opinions and stand up for what they believe in. If anyone can use their first amendment rights, so can student athletes.

  21. Players should be allowed to express their first amendment right. Even though some people might not see it athletes are role models in their community. They are put on a spot light. Athletes can and should use this platform to use their voice.

  22. I believe that student athletes should be able to exercise their first amendment right as long as they do so with respect. I think that if you do almost anything in sports with the right attitude you’ll be respected by others as well.

  23. I think that everyone should be respectful in what they are doing, but also we have freedom in speech so say what needs to be said, just be careful how you word it.

  24. I think that student athletes have the right to express the first amendment but they shouldn’t do so in a disrespectful way. They need to be respectful about what they do and respect everyone else’s view point.

  25. I think that student athletes have the right to express the first amendment but they shouldn’t do so in a disrespectful way. They deserve to be able to voice their opinions because that’s their right

  26. I think kids should always be allowed to express the first amendment as long as do it in a calm way. We all have a voice and we should be able to use it.

  27. I do think student Athletes should be able to express the first amendment as long as it is done in a respectful way and done the correctly.

  28. I think all student athletes should be able to freely express their opinions because of the first amendment. I think the only time when it would be inappropriate would be when it involves hate speech, but according to the first amendment you should be able to voice your opinions.

  29. I believe that students but really anyone should be able to stand for their beliefs no matter if you are wearing a school shirt or not. The case is different when it comes to beliefs or what you stand for because this time it doesn’t just have to do with leaving a place better than you found it, and making a school look good in the eyes of others. Now it’s up to the way the school handles athletes and their beliefs, but i think students should be able to stand for what they believe in without repercussions.

  30. I think they should be able to stand up for their rights and if someone can stand up for one movement then i think others should be able to stand up too

  31. After reading the article, in my opinion i think that if a student was given permission beforehand to express their feeling toward a subject like this they should be able to. The two boys were standing up for fallen police members and other emergency care people. I think if they do this in a calm way, they should be able to express their opinions

  32. I think that students should be able to exercise their rights, as long as there is no harm or violence in doing that along the way.

  33. I believe all athletes and students should be able to exercise the first amendment right just in a respectful and calm manner

  34. I believe all athletes and students should be able to exercise the first amendment right just in a respectful and calm manner. All people deserve the right to express their feelings

  35. I believe that athletes should be able to exercise the first amendment right. Student athletes should be highly respected, because they have opinions that will be able to change the world eventually. They should be able to speak their opinion

  36. I think that all students should be able to exercise their first amendment rights!! we deserve to speak out on whatever it is we want and sports give us a platform to do so. i do understand asking for permission first and if a coach really thinks that it’s for the better of the team not to, that is the coaches decision and the players should respect that

  37. I think that every athlete should be able to exercise their first amendment. If people can kneel for the flag, then people can also raise flags and oppose kneeling.

  38. I think they should be able to exercise their first amendment right as long as it is respectful. I don’t think being an athlete should change what their rights are. But as they are athletes, i would expect them to be mature about their decisions and be respectful.

  39. They should be able to because they deserve their rights, but there are restrictions because they representing more than just them.

  40. Students should be allot to the freedom of speech because if it doesn’t harm or hurt anyone then they should be allowed.

  41. I believe we have an inherent right from birth to speak our mind no matter how those around us feel about it. If the words aren’t a threat to public safety then the right to speak them should be protected.

  42. Students should not be allowed to express a lot of their opinions because it may offend someone and the only reason their on that football field or whatever they play is to play the sport and not to express your opinion. I think it’s great to express your opinion but not during sports at that time you have one job and only one and that’s focusing on that sport.

  43. I think that students should be able to exercise their first amendment rights, but not to the point where it interferes with school functions or involves politics in things like sports games. As long as the enactment of first amendment rights doesn’t make it appear as though the views expressed are that of the school’s, then I think it’s fine.