Winona Daily News

Anthony Kelly | Jenna Filand | Charles Samuelson | Delo Bundy | Haakon Nelson | John A. Houser

WSHS alum proud of students' stand

By Anthony Kelly / Minneapolis

I am so proud of Carrie Rethlefsen and her cohorts at my alma mater, Winona Senior High School. These individuals are demonstrating precisely the type of leadership and reasoning abilities that the world needs � now more than ever. While some writers in this space don't or can't distinguish between the free expression of ideas that may be uncomfortable and carrying a handgun to school, I want to support these students in every meaningful way I can.

What I find so compelling (and refreshing) is that this is a student-led effort. It reminds me of another student-led effort to broaden awareness about issues of sexuality at the school back in 1993. Back then, I had the chance to be part of a student group that defended the public placement of a poster that offered some helpful advice and support to gay/lesbian/bisexual/

transgender teens. As anyone who followed that issue remembers, the mere acknowledgment of the existence of non-heterosexual people caused a great fracas. Some even went so far as to suggest that such a poster caused homosexuality. I find it strange and regressive that speaking out against violence against women in 2005 appears to be as controversial as speaking out for gay teens was in 1993.

Talking about violence against women in high school is critical. I can't stress enough the importance that teens, especially girls, get accurate information and can feel comfortable enough to talk openly about issues of sexuality and violence. Generating awareness of an issue does not, as some writers seem to imply, create the problem. Speaking out will, however, destroy the vacuum of silence that sexual violence thrives in.

To those students who have demonstrated the leadership to take this issue (and the school administration) on, I say good job! Trust me when I say that you will look back on this with great pride.

Women should not be ashamed

By Jenna Filand / Minneapolis

As a graduate of WSHS, I have been following the vagina story closely.

I commend Carrie for being able to express herself so boldly. Violence against women is so profound in this country, and our society seems to always be sweeping it under the rug as if it's not important. When someone stands up for female rights, as Carrie is doing, someone always has a problem with it. If I were still in high school, I would have ordered a

T-shirt in a heartbeat because I am proud of who I am and concerned about the escalating problem of violence against women.

What puzzles me is that the administration wants to take Carrie's pride away. Dr. Wondrasch is telling students that supporting women's rights is something you do outside of school. Why?

The administration is implying that female students should be ashamed of their vaginas and that it's taboo to even speak the word. News flash � there are millions of vaginas in this world and there always will be. It is surely an impossible task.

The court case that Dr. Wondrasch is "basing her reasoning on" is not even close to being comparable to the vagina button. Wearing a T-shirt that says "Straight Pride" is completely offensive to those who are not straight � it would be the same as wearing a shirt that said "White Pride" � people just don't wear things like that without the intention of hurting someone. It is obvious Carrie isn't doing this to offend anyone. She's proud of who she is and concerned about women's issues. Her reasoning is legitimate and I see no grounds for suspension.

Do we really need to send students home because they are proud of the body they were born with? I don't think so, but I guess Dr. Wondrasch does.

And also, Dr. Wondrasch, is this really the best way to be spending your time and energy? Have there not been numerous recent threats on the well-being and safety of your students? Should we be so concerned with vaginas? I think you need to focus on the safety of the students�not accommodating the few people who are terrified of vaginas.

ACLU investigating constitutional issues

By Charles Samuelson / Executive director, American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota

With regard to your article of April 28, the ACLU did not request Principal Wondrasch to "explain her reasoning;" rather, the ACLU wrote a letter to the principal seeking her perspective on the issue. The intent of our letter was merely to gather information from all sides, as is our customary practice when potential constitutional issues are called to our attention.

The article also mischaracterizes current legal precedent regarding student speech issues. In addition to requiring schools to justify censorship of student speech on a "belief that �substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities' would ensue," that belief must be reasonable. In Chambers v. Babbit, Judge Frank cited the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Tinker v. Des Moines and noted that to be reasonable, the school's belief "must be substantiated by facts that �might reasonably have led school authorities to forecast substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities.'" Judge Frank went on to cite the Tinker Court's admonition that an ""undifferentiated fear or apprehension of a disturbance is not enough to overcome a student's right to freedom of expression."

Regrettably, Principal Wondrasch did not use her response to our query as an opportunity to present the school's version of the facts. Had she done so, perhaps the people of Winona could have judged for themselves whether the school's actions were truly based on a reasonable forecast of a "substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities", or just an "undifferentiated fear or apprehension of a disturbance." Instead, we have only the students' reports to the media that the buttons were worn on numerous occasions without incident.

One of the most important missions of Minnesota public schools is to prepare the state's young people for the rights and responsibilities that go along with being good citizens, including respect for our Constitution. One of the constitutional principles we hold most precious is the First Amendment command that government may not infringe on free speech or association based solely on the controversial content of a group's or individual's expression. Indeed, if the Constitution was only intended to protect speech and expression that is popular and uncontroversial, there would be no need for the First Amendment.

Girls ought to be proud

By Delo Bundy / Winona

I've read quite a bit of controversy about girls wearing T-shirts and buttons and proud of the fact they are letting people know they love their body parts. And they should be, as it's God's gift to women.

God created women to reproduce. She also goes through the pains of hell to do so. Just think, if you read this letter that's how you were brought into this world. So don't condemn their effort to let the world know how they feel about their body parts.

I wish there was some way they could really defend themselves against sex offenders. So, sex offenders, I'd warn the female population may gang up on you.

Carrie Rethlefsen has succeeded

By Haakon Nelson / Winona

I cannot help but feel that Joe Losinski (April 27) is missing the point.

Carrie Rethlefsen's wearing of the "I (heart) my vagina" button has everything to do with free speech, and the administration's opposition to her has nothing to do with morality. The wearing of said button is not advertising a body part, but expressing a political position, i.e. that female sexuality is too often marginalized � as are women in general � and that she endorses more open discussion and freedoms than have previously occurred.

To take this into the venue of morality is to sidestep the issue and belittle anything she has to say. Losinski says of Rethlefsen that "she can't be very smart" and that she "doesn't know any better," and asks "what planet is Rethlefsen from?" If she needed a perfect example of how the opinions of women today are immediately put down as illegitimate, this letter provides it.

Furthermore, to state "advertising their body parts is exactly what promotes sexual violence" is to show some bizarre blame-the-victim mindset I cannot even begin to understand. Sexual violence is a result of people who have both unnatural attitudes toward sex and other people and a lack of control of their behavior. Wearing a political button is not a trigger for sexual violence, and those who believe it is are truly the ones from another planet.

Finally, if we really want to make this about morals, we can. Let me be the first to applaud Ms. Rethlefsen for having the moral fortitude to openly express her opinions under threat of school disciplinary actions and public ridicule. Seeking to correct an imbalance of power and to remove women's shame of their gender is very moral. Ms. Rethlefsen, her parents, or those who guide her show moral strength not often found.

The administration could have kept this quiet by having Rethlefsen explain her position to those offended by her button. Instead she has sparked a community discussion and brought outside media attention to the issues. As far as making a political statement, Ms. Rethlefsen has certainly succeeded.

I (heart) your ...

By John A. Houser / Bakersfield, Calif.

I read a story from the AP about two high school "girls" from Winona Senior High School, Winona, Minn. I understand and uphold the right to freedom of expression; but when a person does not take into consideration how his or her actions may negatively affect their fellow students, then their actions should be discouraged by their family, friends, and in this case their school administration.

"We can't really find out what is inappropriate about it," Rethlefsen, 18, said. "I don't think banning things like that is appropriate (from the AP)." This child does not think it inappropriate to wear something like that. The more than 100 students who as a show of support have ordered T-shirts bearing "I (heart) My Vagina" for girls and "I Support Your Vagina" for boys are opening a "Pandora's Box" for a sexual harassment law suit

against the involved students, Winona Senior High School, the school district for WSHS, and maybe the state department of education.

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