"Jack Christie Talks To Children" Controversy
In May 2011, Jack Christie, a 12th grade student was suspended for posting a series of three short films under the banner 'Jack Christie Talks to Children' on YouTube. The films had been presentations for his economics and politics classes over the course of the school year and had been previously encouraged and well received by professors in those classes. When Christie uploaded the films to YouTube, the school adminitration requested that he remove them, or face a lengthy suspension and a police investigation. Believing his constitutional rights were being violated, Christie chose not to remove the films, arguing that the school severely overstepped their bounds, punishing him for something he did outside of the jurisdiction of the administration, and that the administration infringed on his fundamental right to freedom of speech.
As the Prime Minister of the student government started collecting petition signatures in support of Christie, he was warned by staff that he too would face punishment for doing so.
Following a brief investigation into the matter, Durham Regional Police concluded that there was no reasonable cause for concern. Despite this, Christie remained suspended for twenty days. The suspension, including the means by which the student was suspended, have drawn a considerable amount of criticism from students and parents alike. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has also spoken up against both the school administration, and the board, suggesting that the administration blatantly infringed on Christie's fundamental rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The films have remained online in their original format throughout and since the suspension, and have been watched over 200,000 times by people around the world as a result of the attention brought on by Donald A. Wilson administrators.
Read more about this topic: Donald A Wilson Secondary School
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