Senatobia Superintendent Jay Foster is violating some folks First Amendment rights, according to a report from the
Associated Press:
- The Mississippi chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said that Foster is violating First Amendment rights and that those who cheered did not do anything that could be considered a crime.
"The First Amendment of the United States Constitution clearly prohibits the making of any law that would impede the freedom of speech," Mississippi ACLU Legal Director Charles Irvin said in a statement. "Citizens should be able to enjoy the right of free speech, especially at a congratulatory event, like a high school graduation. The cheering by the family does not qualify as a disturbance of the peace and should not have elicited a criminal response."
Also, Northwest Community College may no longer host Senatobia's graduations.
- Meanwhile, Northwest Mississippi Community College, which hosts graduations not only for Senatobia but for several other nearby high schools, said it may no longer do so. Spokeswoman Sarah Sapp said the college has taken a lot of heat because its police chief helped Foster fill out the criminal charges, which she described as part of the chief's routine duties. In Mississippi, typically any adult can swear out a misdemeanor charge, with courts later judging whether the charge is merited.
