Attorney General Alan Wilson defends pro-life students at the Supreme Court

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a 15-state friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court supporting a high school student who was prohibited from expressing her pro-life views inside 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."

A student at a high school in Indiana hung flyers that read "Defund Planned Parenthood" to promote a student-led pro-life group. The amicus brief argues that the school district censored speech simply because it was controversial. The states also argue that bans on "political speech" are too broad and, as a policy, can impugn far too many instances of speech that is unpopular or disagreed with by school administration.

"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."

Attorney General Alan Wilson joined this brief along with Kansas, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

Find a copy of the briefs here.