MTV films and Paramount Pictures are making a movie about the kid who put up a banner that read "Bong Hits for Jesus" and was suspended for it. He sued, taking the case all the way to the Supreme Court where he lost on a split decision. His dad lost his job over the case:
Frederick already had a contentious relationship with the school principal when he got suspended for 10 days for displaying a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" message on a 14-foot sign outside the school. The principal felt the banner promoted drug use. The case made national headlines, and Frederick became a poster boy for the First Amendment, but in a split decision, the Supreme Court upheld the principal's right to suspend the student.This could be an interesting movie to take my kids to see if they do a good job with the material. I think it's good for my kids to see other kids standing up for what they believe.
"The heart of this story is the relationship between a father and son," Shamberg said. "Frank Frederick was an insurance adjuster facing the loss of his job if his son didn't back down."
Frederick, who'd often discussed the importance of First Amendment rights with his son at the dinner table, would not force his son to drop the case, and he was fired from his job. Father and son now teach English in China.
