2015 high school essay contest explores freedom of speech and assembly

Do students and their school-sponsored interest groups have a right to protest controversial graduation speakers? Should these speakers be permitted to sue those student groups for defamation?

Those are the questions the Virginia State Bar (VSB) is asking students to address in its annual Law in Society essay competition.

Virginia high school students age 19 or younger and enrolled in grades 9–12 or a home-school equivalent are eligible to submit an essay for a chance to win the competition and cash prizes. The contest is co-sponsored by the VSB Litigation Section and Communications Committee. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, February 12, 2015.

The 2015 competition examines a hypothetical situation in fictional Rocktown, Virginia, where Angel Bradford, a Rocktown High School alumna and now head of a large dairy conglomerate, is invited by a public school principal to speak at commencement.

Senior Susan Statler, president of the school’s Animal Rights Club, begins an online petition to prevent Bradford from speaking not only at RHS, but also at a local private school, citing claims of animal abuse within the CEO’s company.

Adding to the chaos, Bradford contemplates suing Susan and the Animal Rights Club for defamation. The school’s principals and students appeal to a retired judge to resolve the issue in a way that conforms with the law and calm the community.

Essays are limited to 750-1,000 words, and will be judged on how well they demonstrate students’ understanding of the role and value of the legal system in everyday life. Entries will be judged by attorneys, judges, and educators.

The purpose of the contest is to awaken an interest in law and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution.

The first place winner will receive $2,300 and the winning essay will be published on the VSB website. Other awards include $1,850 (second place), $1,350 (third place), and honorable mentions of $250 each. All winners receive a plaque and copy of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.

Awards will be presented in the spring at winners’ schools.

More information, including contest rules and last year’s winning essay, is posted at http://www.vsb.org/site/public/law-in-society  .

The Virginia State Bar is a state agency that protects the public by educating and assisting lawyers to practice ethically and competently, and by disciplining those who violate the Supreme Court’s Rules of Professional Conduct.