Teen tweeter won't apologize to Brownback, rightly so
Yael T. AbouhalkahTeen tweeter Emma Sullivan of Shawnee Mission East didn’t apologize to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, which was the right move.
Instead, on Monday, Brownback apologized. Again, the right move.
Sullivan said Sunday she won’t apologize, and on Monday the school district also said there’s no need for Sullivan to follow through with an initial demand from her principal that she apologize to Brownback.
Sullivan’s case has brought yet another batch of negative attention to backwards-looking Kansas, where Brownback’s office whined last week about a tweet put out by Sullivan: “Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.”
In reaction, her principal initially said he wanted her to apologize for speaking her opinion (which, by the way, she really didn’t personally express to the governor).
Sullivan last week had been leaning toward making the apology. But she won’t now, after receiving national support from lots of people to ignore the pressure from her principal and the heavy-handed governor’s office.
On Monday, the Shawnee Mission School District appeared to be in full damage control mode, returning from Thanksgiving break.
“The district acknowledges a student’s right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected,” the district’s statement said.
“The district has not censored Miss Sullivan nor infringed upon her freedom of speech. She is not required to write a letter of apology to the governor. Whether and to whom any apologies are issued will be left to the individuals involved.”
Shortly after that statement came out, Brownback’s office released one. It said, in part:
“My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Sullivan’s case has become one of those free-speech touchstones the country is always getting enmeshed in.
In this case, the high school senior spoke her mind and the governor’s office wanted her punished for doing so.
Note to disbelievers: That’s why Brownback’s people reported the tweet to the group that sponsored Sullivan’s trip to Topeka, to make sure she got punished for doing so. Any other reading of the situation ignores reality. And it also ignores the byzantine world of politics, in Brownback’s office and in offices of many other politicians across the nation.
Sure Sullivan looked fairly silly for making the tweet. And that’s what it really was: A prank by a high schooler.
Yet this prank got Gov. Brownback’s staff to take a stand that it knew would play well with his supporters. They may, however, have underestimated just how petty and foolish this stand on a silly tweet makes Brownback look.
Craig Koppa
1 year, 6 months agoYep, and young adults may lie all they want without any repercussions, lie away and be supported all you want (except conservatives, they shall be jailed and booed for lieing).
Tom Ryan
Crossroads, Kansas City
1 year, 6 months agoI think this whole incident deserves more blogging…we cannot move on at this time, Anon… emmakate988 Emma Sullivan “I’ve decided not to write the letter but I hope this opens the door for average citizens to voice their opinion & to be heard! #goingstrong” 13 minutes ago…
Chip Chipperson
1 year, 6 months agoWith all these budget cuts, why does brownback waste taxpayer money on people who monitor social networking sites and have the time to waste contacting administratiors. Its all talk about a smaller government.
Logan Heley
1 year, 6 months agoIt’s important to note that the Shawnee Mission School District is fighting for more state funding as the Kansas Legislature heads into its next session. School financing is one of the big issues and Gov. Brownback has stated he wants bigger, wealthier school districts like the SMSD to be able to raise more funds locally, which is what they want. I think the SMSD doesn’t want the Governor’s office mad at them when they’re looking for such a big political victory in the next legislative session. Obviously Emma’s First Amendment rights should be observed properly, but I think the district’s motives are to help make the Governor not look so bad after a big mistake from his staff because they want him on their side when the Legislature meets to discuss school funding.
Chris Huff
1 year, 6 months agoBrownback should be thankful that was all she said. He’s a terrible governor who has made a lot of poor choices for Kansas. The least he should have to do is answer to voters.
Dan Wood
1 year, 6 months agoAbsolutely, let’s make it so kids never have to face consequences for stupid things they say. Next time my kid tells a teacher to go F* themself, I’ll just say that’s ok sweetie, you’re entitled to your opinion.
Dan Wood
1 year, 6 months agoOh I’m sorry, but only if it’s on Twitter because Twitter is private. Nevermind that anybody can search Twitter for anything at all. That principal and teacher better not say anything to me or my kid about it either because then I’ll just lawyer up for my kids Free Speech Rights.
David Frazer
1 year, 6 months agoBunch of sore losermen (don’t see any women) around here. Your side lost a propaganda battle and now it’s a matter of God on the right versus Satan on the left, and you expect the devil’s libeal disciples to throw you in the gulag any minute now. Might do you some good. If the governor and the republican establishment got punked in the news by a high school girl they only have themselves to blame.
David Frazer
1 year, 6 months agoAt least the girl has a name, and didn’t hide behind Anonymous, and somehow the Kansas division of the NKVD figured out that name and where she lived and went to school from the twit message ID. Send her to Garden City, I guess that’s like Siberia.
David Frazer
1 year, 6 months agoShe didn’t boo Brownback, and that’s part of the wingnut criticism. Maybe if the governor were there in support of military families like Michelle Obama, he would have deserved it. Free speech does indeed mean freedom from consequences from governmental agencies and persons, or it is not free. If she is not mature enough to vote, then the guy who showed up at the Obama speech with his AK slung over his shoulder isn’t mature enough either. If you don’t like the KC Star editorial policy, then start your own newspaper, it’s a free country. What’s your real name anyway?
Kevin Kelly
1 year, 6 months ago“There is nothing that states that a state cannot limit you speech.”
Doesn’t that render the entire Bill of Rights meaningless?