June 3, 2009 4:17PM 

# A Lesson about Power 

By [Tim Lynch](https://www.cato.org/people/tim-lynch) 

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High school seniors pull a prank by pitching tents in the school courtyard and sleeping there overnight. Does the school need to discipline them? Perhaps. Maybe have them stay after school and pick up litter or something.

But school officials want the police to [arrest the students](http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5solehi.6918212jun03,0,5686671.story). And when a student who had *no involvement in the prank* speaks out against the school authorities’ response by sending out an email, he too must be punished! The lesson here is do not question authority.

Either praise your school principal or be very quiet and obedient.

##### Related Tags 

[Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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