We must all view even the slightest constitutional attack as a threat to all of our freedoms. Hopefully Ryan's fight will call into question the entire concept of banning gang symbols. Even with the reversal, the ACLU lawyers have not dropped the case. They plan to review the decision of the board to ensure that it applies to all students. Hopefully Ryan's fight will call into question the entire concept of banning gang symbols.
Government officials claim that the bans are necessary to reduce violence.
As we have said before, many things can reduce violence but that does not justify their use. In some towns, a general animosity exists between many of the races. Government officials are actually using the bans to suppress speech. At Ryan Green's school, the code of conduct bans any reference to any group that is not affiliated with the school. To put the ban in perspective, the ban actually outlaws any group not affiliated with the government.