Justin and the First Amendment
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CHAPTER ONE: TROUBLEMAKER "Of all the T-shirts you could have worn today, you had to go and wear that one!" Justin's little sister Kaylee squeaked at him. It's true; he had a huge wardrobe of ironed T-shirts hanging in his closet. He could have worn the Tommy Hilfiger, or the Tampa Buccaneers, or the Marathon 2002, or even the cool one with the dolphins. But when openned the closet and saw his dad's fishing gear in the corner, he decided to wear the T-shirt he'd bought at the peace rally,. It said, "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS; BRING THEM HOME NOW!" All it showed, he thought, was how much he missed his dad, who had signed on for a short stint in the National Guard and wound up in Iraq, where he'd been for over a year. Justin didn't expect that his shirt would become a major issue at Harriet Beecher Stowe Middle School. From the time he boarded the school bus, his shirt attracted more attention than he expected. "Where'd you get that shirt?" Teddy Gruber, the class bully shouted, "In Russia or in France?" "I got it at a peace rally," Justin answered him, and then wished he hadn't. By lunchtime, Justin was the talk of the school, with everyone taking sides --- Pro Shirt (and against the war) and Anti-shirt (for supporting the president). Justin was rather pleased that just a few words on a piece of cotton fabric had managed to stimulate discussion where there hadn't been any before. Even the teachers seemed to want to express their opinions about it. But they didn't. They either just smiled or scowled. The entire school seemed split right down the middle, just like the nation at election time. But soon the discussion turned violent. An eighth grader came over to him on the cafeteria line and knocked his tray down, spilling soup and sandwich all over the floor.
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About the Book
Does The Constitution give kids the right to freedom of speech? And does free speech include wearing a T-shirt with a message on it?Justin Conroy finds out, when he wears a peace T-shirt to school. His dad is in the reserves, fighting in far-off Gazolia, and Justin wants him home. But the school authorities accuse him of being unpatriotic and suspend him. His friend Gwen circulates a petition defending him, which a teacher rips up. When a student journalist interviews the two activists, the teacher in charge of the school newspaper withholds the article. Luckily, their class is studying The Constitution, and their history teacher, Mr. Graham, introduces them to their First Amendment rights. But what's the best way to fight for those rights? How do you speak truth to power? Justin and his friends discover that heroes and heroines come in all shapes and sizes, and the doers of brave deeds can be the most unexpected folks around -- nerdy dweebs, jazz musicians, beauty queens -- they might even be you!
About the Author
VERNA SAFRAN taught English and History in middle school and high school and also worked as a freelance journalist, with articles on health, civil liberties and women's issues published in national magazines. She's currently on the board of her local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Originally from New York, now retired in Sarasota, Ms. Safran helps organize current events forums at the Unitarian-Universalist Church and is an actress/director/writer with the Asolo Play Readers. She has a son who does cancer research, and three grandchildren -- all geniuses, of course. Since she doesn't get to see them as often as she'd like, she's grandmother-at-large to the many youngsters she tutors in reading, writing, and social studies.