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Emma Sullivan, 18, tweeted about the governor from her cell phone during a youth government program. The tweet read: "Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot."
Reports say Sullivan never made any mean comments to the governor and was "just joking with friends."
Brownback's office, which monitors social media for postings that contain the governor's name, read her post and contacted the youth program. Sullivan was scolded at school and was told to send Brownback an apology letter. The teen tweeter rejected her principal’s demand that she write an apology letter, saying it would be insincere.
Later, Brownback issued a statement saying he had overreacted.
“My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize,” Brownback wrote in a Facebook post. “Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Student objected to governor’s arts funding policies
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Brownback said he believes that private donations, not taxpayer money, should fund arts and culture in the state. |
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Sullivan said she disagrees with Brownback politically, particularly his decision to veto the Kansas Arts Commission's entire budget, making Kansas the only state in the U.S. to eliminate arts funding. Brownback has argued arts programs can flourish with private dollars and that state funds should go to more important government functions, such as education and social services.
"I think it would be interesting to have a dialogue with him," she told The Associated Press. "I don't know if he would do it or not though. And I don't know that he would listen to what I have to say."
Sherriene Jones-Sontag, the governor's spokeswoman, told The Kansas City Star that Sullivan's message wasn't respectful and that it takes mutual respect to "really have a constructive dialogue."
Freedom of speech issues at the heart of the controversy
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The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The five freedoms covered under the First Amendment include: speech, press, religion, petition and assembly. |
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Many would argue that forcing Sullivan to write an apology letter would be a violation of her freedom of speech.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides individuals with important personal freedoms, including the freedom to speak freely without censorship.
There are exceptions to the First Amendment protections, however, and they have been recognized by the courts. Some of the exceptions established by the courts include variations of defamation (a statement that gives a negative impression of a person), causing panic (yelling “fire!” when there isn’t really a fire), fighting words and obscenity.
District officials in Shawnee Mission, where Sullivan lives, reviewed the case and agreed that no apology was required and that no "further action" is expected on the issue.
"The district acknowledges a student's right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected," the district said in its statement. "The district has not censored Miss Sullivan nor infringed upon her freedom of speech."
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I think we've been witnessing violence for years, whether in reality through the media or through video games, and I don't think that's a first-hand effect.
