Cursing by pupils prohibited

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 10

Cursing by pupils prohibited

NZPA-AP Washington Teachers and school administrators in the United States will be armed with new disciplinary powers in the next school year to promote what the Supreme Court says are the values of a civilised social order. The United States’ highest court said yesterday the? public school pupils may be suspended for using vulgar language. The Chief Justice, Mr Warren Burger, wrote for the Court that “schools may determine that the essential lessons of civil, mature conduct cannot be conveyed in a school that tolerates lewd, indecent or offensive speech and conduct”

“Surely it is a highly appropriate function of public school education to prohibit the use of vulgar and offensive terms in public discourse.” The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Mr Albert Shanker, praised the decision.

“The schools are : responsible for teaching civility as well as the three Rs,” he said. "The decision should encourage schools to act against verbal as well as physical abuse.”

The Secretary of Education, Mr William Bennett, joined in the praise. “The Court has upheld the legitimate, indeed essential, responsibility of schools to maintain an environment and ethos conducive to learning,” he

"This decision reminds us that schools must possess the moral authority to prepare our young people for citizenship.” The Court upheld by 7-2 the suspension in 1983 of a Spanaway, Washington State, high school pupil who gave an assembly spee®. filled with sexual allusions.