Opening Statement:

Hello, our client Mr. Chris Washington is being wrongfully accused of violating a student’s

freedom of expression. He is a superintendent that works at Peninsula high school, he’s worked

there for 10 years ever since 1990, he has dealt with many problems, but this in particular was

out of hand. On friday February 1, he received a call from the principal, Tony Boyton, about the

disruptions being caused by a student, Nicky Miles, was wearing an abortion button of a baby

being stabbed by knife. He decided to suspend her, which led to an argument followed by she

taking the school to court, when in fact she was violating the school’s code of rule by wearing

the disturbing button. The evidence will show that Mr. Washington is wrongfully accused of

violating Nicky Miles’s first amendment as she is violating the school’s code, using our witness

Tony Boynton. This is to protect the students, the superintendent wants a safe environment for

the students. This is similar to another case “Bethel School DIST. NO. 403 v. FRASER” when a

boy named Fraser was accused of saying a sexual, graphic, explicit metaphor about a girl. The

student sent the school to court, but eventually the school won the case because the first

Amendment doesn’t protect the students’ free speech that harms others & prevent the school’s

basic educational mission. Which is taking into consideration of how uncomfortable it would feel

for the students that heard the phrase, since school is a place to make students into responsible

citizens. This is similar to this case because Fraser feels as though the school was violating his

rights, when the school wants a safe area for kids to learn & have an appropriate viewpoint

towards their opinions. Mr. Washington is not violating Nicki Miles’s right of expression, thank

for your time.

Direct Examination Questions:
1. What is your name?
Tony F. Boynton

2. What was your role in the school?

I am the principal and have been since 1990.

3. What’s your role in punishing Miss Nikki Miles?

I am the one who told superIntendent Chris about the incident.

4. Why did you feel the need to let superintendent Chris know about Ms. Miles wearing the
button?
I felt it was necessary to maintain the safety of all students and staff. Also the superintendent
deals with bigger issues and i didn’t want the incident to be blown out of proportion.

5. Explain what was unsafe about the button?

Well nothing about the button persay was unsafe but peoples reactions to the button was two
people on different occasions threatened the schools. And the students safety is our first
priority. A man called the school threatening that windows might be broken or worse. Early on a
thursday morning a man called the school because he thought it was wrong for a school to allow
such propaganda. That’s not the part that scared me though when i said i wouldn’t be doing
anything about the button he stated that i’m asking for trouble and that some windows would be
broken or worse. As a principal my number one priority is to protect students and that is unsafe
so to prevent that I had to put a stop to the wearing of the button.

6. Are there any rules that the button violated?

“ No person shall distribute, post or display any written or graphic material that is offensive to
others, or disrupts or interferes with school activities”.

7. What was the school environment before Ms. Miles wore the button?
Of course being a high school there were problems, but nothing that disrupted the environment
this much.

8. What was the school environment like when Ms. Miles wore the button?
The school environment was very chaotic and disarray.

9. What was the school like after wearing the button?

Afterwards the school went back it’s usual flow.

10. Did anyone complain to Mr. Washington or yourself about the button?
Yes there were many instances where students, parents, teachers, and citizens in this county
complained about the button and how it was affecting their school and or day to day life. People
went so far as to threaten the school with violence if we did not stop Ms. Miles from wearing the
pin.
 11. Did you speak to a parent or guardian of Ms. Miles?
Yes on monday february 4 myself, Mr. washington, and ms. nicki with her mother. I explained
the problem and how it affected the school, and how ms.niki would be affected if she continued
wearing such a graphic image to school.

12. Had an incident like this happened before?

Yes there were incidents that happened. For example, last year students were dressed coded.
But nothing to this extent.

13. If the image wasn’t included on the button, would you allow Ms. Miles to wear it?
Definitely I love for my students to have opinions and share them with people it just has to be in
a safe positive way.

Cross Examination
 ● Is it true that you have known Nicky since the fifth grade?
● Would you say that you are friends with the Plaintiff?
● Is it true that Ms. Miles contacted you the night before she debuted the
article of clothing in question?
● Did she state she would be wearing something that she hoped would
cause a commotion?
● Did individuals react to this button?
● Did it cause a disruption inside of learning environments?
-If no, quote disruptions
● Was the article of clothing in question against the school dress code?
-If no, quote dress code

Closing Argument: In conclusion the defendant Mr. Washington has been

wrongfully accused, because as the evidence has shown he did not violate Ms.
Miles 1st amendment right. The 1st amendment gives Ms. Nicki Miles the right to
have freedom of speech. The defendant is very ambitious and will love to hear
Nicki miles view about abortion but the way that she did it was flamboyant. Never
did the defendant not allow Nicki miles to say her opinion about abortion but the
picture of the baby being stabbed with a knife was out of line and is not allowed to
be on school property. In the school board regulation it states,” No person shall
distribute, post or display any written or graphic material that is offensive to others,
or disrupts or interferes with school activities.” The button was not allowed
because it was graphic and was a disturbance to class. The image on Nicki Miles’
button caused disruption in the school and the witness tony Boynton received
many complaints from multiple parents. One parent complained that the button
bothered her daughter and the scholar was very upset by the picture. Another
complaint even at school one of those teachers Mr. Socrates had to break up a
fight/ argument about the button. As the principal Tony Boynton has to protect the
students at all cost but his job was on the line when 1 person threatened the school.
They threatened to break windows. If the rocks hit somebody it can hurt them. To
have someone threatened the school is despicable and disgusting but the root of all
this evil is the pin. Nicki Miles was very stubborn and because of this pin school
learning environment in Peninsula high school was negatively affected, Thank you
for listening and i hope you can conquer with the factual evidence I just pointed
out.