Attorney General Alan Wilson of South Carolina has joined 14 other states in submitting a friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court in support of an Indiana high school student who was prevented from expressing pro-life views at her school.
“Deeply held beliefs don’t stop when a student enters the doors of their school,” Attorney General Wilson stated. “Educational institutions should be places where young people can experience new ideas and find their voice, not have it silenced.”
The case centers on a student who posted flyers reading “Defund Planned Parenthood” to promote a pro-life group led by students. The brief contends that the school district censored this speech because it was controversial, and further argues that broad bans on political speech can suppress many forms of expression simply because they are unpopular with administrators.
“Students have the right to respectfully share their beliefs and opinions at school,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Nowhere in the First Amendment is the right to free speech given to everyone except students in a school.”
South Carolina joined Kansas, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and West Virginia in filing this amicus brief.
The South Carolina Attorney General serves as the state’s main legal advocate and enforcer and handles prosecutions and regulatory matters across the state (official website). The office also supports victims of crime through advocacy efforts aimed at improving community safety (official website). In addition to criminal prosecution work with law enforcement agencies statewide (official website), it enforces laws related to securities and consumer protection (official website). Alan Wilson has served as head of this office (official website).
A copy of the briefs is available online.