Court Opinion

ID: 9430400
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:29:39.293242+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:23:24.365256
License: Public Domain

Justice Powell,
dissenting.
I agree with The Chief Justice that respondent Young-man has standing to appeal, and also agree with much of his dissenting opinion. I write briefly to say that on its merits, this case is controlled by Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U. S. 263 (1981).
As in that case, respondent School District simply had “created a forum generally open for use by student groups.” Id., at 267. The School District provided 30-minute periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays for high school students to meet in groups in separate school rooms for extracurricular activities, including discussion or debate on any subject of their choosing. A religious group was formed for reading passages of scripture and for prayer. Although there were no complaints by students, faculty, or parents, on the basis of a legal opinion the Principal advised the group that it could not meet during these periods. As The Chief Justice observes in his dissent, this is “a student-initiated and student-led group seeking the same forum available to other student extracurricular activity groups.” Ante, at 553. At the time of this suit, there was a total of 25 identified groups, each organized by students. All of these groups were free to discuss any subject other than a religious one.
In Widmar, under essentially the same circumstances, we held that the University of Missouri at Kansas City had “discriminated against student groups and speakers based on their desire to use a generally open forum to engage in religious worship and discussion. These are forms of speech and association protected by the First Amendment.” 454 U. S., at 269. The only arguable distinction between Wid-mar and this case is that Widmar involved university students while the groups here are composed of high school *556students. We did note in Widmar that university students are “less impressionable than younger students and should be able to appreciate that the University’s policy is one of neutrality toward religion.” Id., at 274, n. 14. Other decisions, however, have recognized that the First Amendment rights of speech and association extend also to high school students. See, e. g., Board of Education v. Pico, 457 U. S. 853, 864 (1982) (opinion of Brennan, J.); Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 393 U. S. 503, 506-507 (1969) (citing cases). I do not believe — particularly in this age of massive media information — that the few years difference in age between high school and college students justifies departing from Widmar. I accordingly dissent.