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the district was practicing "viewpoint dis-

learn about HIV, and Mayor Michael

crimination" when it removed the

Bloomberg defended the move. "We're

bricks.168

making sure that it's age-appropriate" he

said. "For the kids in first, second, third

grades, you teach `em about germs and to

North Carolina

wash your hands. And as you move up, you

Freedom of Expression

· Charlotte-Mecklenburg--In the midst of

try to tailor the education to the maturity

of the students." Many critics, however,

student walkouts all over the country to

thought kindergarten--when kids would

protest proposed federal immigration

be told that HIV is a "germ"--was way too

rules, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school

early to introduce the subject of

district reexamined its policy toward stu-

HIV/AIDS. "This is entirely too young, and

dents who left school to attend protests

the city of New York should really hang

and rallies. District officials were unhap-

their heads in shame," said Conservative

py with the current policy, which gave

Party chairman Michael Long. Catholic

students who left "unexcused absences,"

League president Bill Donohue went one

which required offenders to make up

step further, telling Catholic parents to

lost class time either after school or on

pull their children out of the classes.166

Saturdays. However, the district was con-

flicted, wanting neither to encourage

disruptions nor issue suspensions at the

Religion

· New York City--When the New York City

same time they were emphasizing stay-

ing in school. Some community mem-

schools scheduled assessment tests on the

bers emphasized something else: the

Muslim holiday Eid-ul-Adha (Celebration

importance of political speech. "No stu-

of Sacrifice), it should not have been a sur-

dent should be suspended from school

prise that many Muslims were upset.

for walking out to protest on an issue of

Omar Mohammedi, the New York City

national importance," Duke University

commissioner for human rights, was espe-

law professor Jane Wettach told the

cially angry, and wrote a letter to New York

meeting of district leaders. "They are

City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein stating

learning to be citizens of the U.S., and I

that "mandating these children to take

think it's fabulous." John Hood, presi-

state testing during this important holi-

dent of the John Locke Foundation,

day is at a minimum insensitive if not dis-

however, disagreed, arguing that "there

criminatory." A spokesperson for the

are plenty of ways for students to express

chancellor countered the criticism, point-

their political view that do not involve

ing out that legally absent students could

willful truancy."169

make up the test, and that "no one was

penalized because of religion."167

· Albany--In April, a federal judge ordered

North Dakota

Mexico Academy, a public high school

Intelligent Design

· Fargo--On the grounds that it is too con-

near Syracuse, to put bricks bearing evan-

gelical Christian messages back into a

troversial, the North Dakota High

walkway  constructed  from  bricks

School Activities Association said it

inscribed with personalized messages. In

would not make intelligent design the

2000, the district removed bricks saying

topic of its January debates. "We were

"Jesus Saves" and "Jesus Christ the Only

going to exclude kids from the state and

Way" because the district was being

public forum debate if we stayed with

threatened with a suit for endorsing

intelligent design," explained association

Christianity were the bricks not removed.

spokesman Bob Hetler. "Some schools

The April decision, in contrast, said that

were afraid parents wouldn't allow their

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