22 Comments on “Westfield High School Displays Anti-Cop Student Art”

1. 
   Tom Stokes said at 9:07 pm on May 14th, 2015:

   Short note to Kayla McMillian, a Westfield High School student:

   It is correct that freedom of speech and expression are protected under our First Amendment; you are correct in saying, “Personally, I think it’s important that people express there opinions.”

   While “there” is not a correct spelling of the word as used in this context (“their”) I am not sure if you made the mistake or someone else did in reporting your comment, so I cannot criticize you for that error. I would certainly expect that your teachers have taught you correct grammar and spelling in your rather upscale community.

   But why do you limit opinions being expressed only to those who support the hideous and factually false statements of police brutality as reported by some in the media? “Hands up, Don’t shoot” was a blatant lie in Ferguson, just for one example.

   Your school allowed an exhibit which told only one side of a story. Perhaps this will be an instructive lesson, for you, young lady, and others of your ilk, who cannot take criticism, even when justified.

   It is within my right as an American (who wore the uniform of our Armed Forces) to comment on what I see as a horrible disservice to truth and a rather poor learning experience to validate not truth, but propaganda. As a taxpayer, I do question how tax dollars are spent; and this exhibit, at taxpayer expense, does raise some serious questions.

   Do police make mistakes? Absolutely. But to portray an entire group falsely is what the Nazis did to one group solely due to their religion, culminating in the Holocaust. Of course, you are well removed from that era and may not understand my comment.

   This is not a fascist society where only one side may comment and all others must bow in silence. This is a democratic Republic where all are free to express their opinions on any and all sides of an issue; hopefully done with some respect and civility.

   This country has lost many police officers in the line of duty, some only very recently, perhaps due in part to the outrageous lies spewed forth by some. It would have been nice if your school had balanced out that one exhibit with another showing what police officers throughout this nation must contend with in this day and age.

   Yes, it is a tragedy when any person loses their life, whether in a confrontation with the police, in an accident, in a war or by their own hands. We as humans must try to do better, but until we can admit our faults and take responsibility for our actions, we will continue to be a society where “victimization” is an excuse for violence.

   Actually, this may turn out to be an excellent opportunity for you to learn that free speech and honest debate is cherished and should not be silenced. Constructive criticism is important in the learning process.

   Learn and prosper, young lady. You have a long life ahead and I hope it will be filled with happiness.

2. 
   Proud Republican said at 11:04 pm on May 14th, 2015:

   i don’t know what’s worse, the snarky indignation of the ignorant little no-nothing, Kayla, her abject stupidity on what constitutes being an “innocent victim” or that she is so detached from reality that she feels that she and her little fragile fellow students can make such idiotic statements and “not be judged.”. The ironic thing is – if this little nitwit were on a street in Newark at midnight and saw three gang members walking toward her, she’d crap her pants and scream for a cop to save her. This may be the best advertisement for home schooling I’ve ever seen.

3. 
   Kevin The Elder said at 8:02 am on May 15th, 2015:

   Whether or not it has been a deliberate effort by the news media in this country over the last 50 years or more, it can’t be denied that what has been created as a result of their reporting is a totally ignorant public.

   Example. They decide what they want to be the main story(s) of the day (most often by imitating one of their competition). The 24 hour cable news shows, in desperate need to fill the time repeat and repeat certain stories, especially those where they (the news outfit) are able to depict titillating clips with which they can bombard our senses, the result being that we are continuously being brainwashed.

   The high schoolers who took part in this display merely show what we have become. Don’t blame them, blame the real culprit. I contend that if all the other high schools gave their students a similar challenge, the results would be the same. We may not like that Westfield challenged their students to create this display, but even if they hadn’t, the minds of the students would not have been un-poisoned.

   For those of you born after 1960, perhaps, with a few simple little questions, I can show you how YOU TOO have been brainwashed.

   Do you think the blacks who rioted during the 60s might have had some justification? Do you feel that they rioted because things were so bad? Segregation ruled. The deep south! Jim Crow! “Get to the back of the bus, n_____!” Separate bathrooms, dogs set upon innocents who were just looking to be allowed to integrate?

   Did all of that occur? Undoubtedly yes. Was it terrible? Hmmm, I’ll have to believe it was terrible, because I wasn’t there and that’s what the ‘news media’ has taught me was true.

   But I was somewhere then. A cop in New Jersey.

   And guess what? Here in the east (nor the Midwest or West) NONE of the so called atrocities were a part of the regular life.

   Here is the interesting part. There were dozens of riots during the 60s where blacks burned houses and stores, killed and maimed cops, etc. What I would surprise almost everyone is that the deep south wasn’t represented. Indeed, only three southern cities are listed in Wikipedia’s page of riots. From 1963 through 1968 Wikipedia declares there were riots in Cambridge, Md; Harlem, NY; Rochester, NY; Jersey City, NJ; Elizabeth, NJ; Dixmoor, Chicago, Il; Philadelphia, Pa; Watts, Los Angeles, Ca; Division St, Chicago, Il; Hough Riots of Cleveland, Oh; San Francisco, Ca; Benton Harbor, Mi; Los Angeles (Curfew Riots), Ca; Tampa, Fl; Buffalo, NY; Newark, NJ; Plainfield, NJ (a cop stomped to death); Detroit, Mi; Cairo, Il; Winston-Salem, NC; Washington, DC; Baltimore, Md; Chicago, Il once again; Kansas City, Mo.
   Louisville, Ky: Cleveland, Oh; Akron, Oh.

   I believe that is we were individually asked how things were fifty years ago for the blacks, would declare that things were awful and if asked why, we’d cite the horrible conditions that we’ve been taught by the news media of the southern blacks.

   Seeing where the riots actually occurred therefore should leave all of us with many questions, especially why we believe what we do.

   So no, don’t blame these kids from Westfield, they only believe what they’ve been taught. The tap that opens the faucet is the news media!

4. 
   Phil Stilton said at 8:50 am on May 15th, 2015:

   Freedom of speech is 100% your right. So is no employer ever hiring you because of how you previously expressed your freedom of speech.

5. 
   M.Lynch said at 3:20 pm on May 15th, 2015:

   Its not just Westfield, RBR promotes the hell out of this crap.

6. 
   High School Student said at 3:45 pm on May 15th, 2015:

   To start off here, Tom Stokes, by you calling this student who happens to be a very good friend of mine young lady and trying to be all inspirational at the end, makes you sound very arrogant and quite frankly, rude. Us students have a right to our opinion just like you have the right to yours and we are free to express it in any way that we please. There were no guidelines set telling the students that they had to have two sides to this issue, they were told to express their opinion in any way that they felt was right because if you knew anything about art, that is what it is about. Freedom of expression and it is up for interpretation. This year was not the first time that this project was done and honestly I hope it will not be the last either. You being offended by someone’s artwork is no one’s issue but your own. There is no where in our rights as Americans that tell us we are not allowed to express ourselves any way we please so there is nothing to argue about here. Secondly, to this person who calls themselves Proud Republican, I’d like to tell you something. I am going to assume that you are an adult who is a little insecure about themselves and finds the need to insult others in order to make themselves feel better. My friend that you are straight up insulting does not deserve to be treated in the way that you are acting. You are completely out of line and downright vicious in what you said about her. You are in no way going to get your point across by being a rude person. Next time you want to go and comment on something about a high school student, why don’t you take a step back and think about the fact that you are literally being more immature than anyone else in the situation by talking about her like that. And one last thing, if you were in the scenario that you so kindly shared above, I guarantee that you would react the same way so please don’t talk down to her as if she is the only person that would probably be afraid in that situation.

7. 
   Ex NJ resident living in the South said at 5:02 pm on May 15th, 2015:

   To the high school student. My good friend taught at Westfield HS. It has a reputation of ultra liberal with a lot of snotty students. She was asked to accommodate black students being noisy and loud in class and also to accept Black English from them as this was their culture. She walked on egg shells. It is no surprise that a school like Westfield allowed this exhibit, They probably would encourage desecration of Jesus on paper, but absolutely forbid any mention of Islamic Muslims.

8. 
   Proud Republican said at 6:28 pm on May 15th, 2015:

   @High School Student. Some friendly advice. Lighten up punk. At your age, you are in no position to be lecturing anyone as if you have any world experience to speak from. Stick to things you are more qualified to speak about, like Sponge Bob or Justin Bieber. You and the other little ingrates have no idea what you are talking about, and what’s more, have not been on this planet long enough to speak from any position of knowledge about the world. Go move to Camden, take Kayla with you, and live the reality that police have to face every day. Maybe then you will see through the liberal garbage you are being fed.

9. 
   Tom Stokes said at 8:16 pm on May 15th, 2015:

   @High School Student

   I don’t know what reality show or planet you come from, but referring to a young female student as a young lady is neither rude, arrogant nor vicious.

   Would you have me use the “itch” word (which she did in her Facebook posting) – perhaps that is more your level of current communication.

   “Us students have” – not sure how they teach English in Westfield, but “Us have” should be “We (students) have”. And I did check, Kayla did use “there”, not “their” in her Facebook page. It would appear that some new and better English teachers are required in Westfield.

   Yes, as Americans we are free to express our opinions in “any way we please” within certain limits. That does apply to the student(s) who participated in and portrayed police in a typical propaganda piece; but it also applies to those who reject that propaganda. And yes, there is a disagreement as to the “facts” surrounding the current climate of anti-police rhetoric and hysteria in some communities. You just fail to recognize that.

   Are the students to blame – NO. It is the teacher or teachers who organized this exhibit at taxpayer expense who shoulder the responsibility for not providing better guidance and seeking a more balanced approach.

   Venting grievances about “victimization” in an expression of artwork is certainly better than an outbreak of violence – which solves absolutely nothing.

   Apparently it is very clear your ability to debate or understand constructive criticism in the learning process is rather limited.

   Chill out, young sir or lady.

10. 
    some police vs all police said at 9:36 pm on May 15th, 2015:

    Tom, it is worth noting that the some vs all arguement is largely a result of the police mentality itself, notably their constant “brotherhood” remarks and actions. When one is the victim of some crime, the “brotherhood” comes out to tell us how they are all one and they stand together. What is worse is that they tell us that some traffic ticket writing beat cop is hero and the brootherhood ensures that even if one of their own was nothing but a coward who hid his police cruiser in the bushes waiting for a speeding driver to come along for 20 years, they deserve special honors and ceremonies. The politicians on both sides get in on it, naming taxpayer funded memorials, schools, parks and more in thier “honor”. However, one cop screws the pooch and suddenly its “what brotherhood?” and “… some cops are bad…”.

    Aside from that, when the local bodega owner is murdered during a robbery, the mayor doesn’t make a statement, the local bodega owners dont throw a parade in his honor, and he certainly isnt called a hero as if his life was more valuable than anyone else’s life. That despite likely coming face to face, daily, with more criminals as that cop hiding in the bushes looking to write a speeding ticket to someone just trying to get to their place of underemployment on time.

    I’m with you in that a school should not be promoting misinformation and fueling the fire, however, it would be wrong to acknowledge that some of the “anticop” mentality is easily explainable, and can be easily rectified if the police do a better job of policing their own members to weed out the ones who might shoot your dog rather than protect and serve. Stop calling ticket writers “heros” when they drunk drive into a tractor trailer being driven by a hard working, minimum wage family man. Do a better job of not harassing taxpayers who might be doing 70 in a 55 on a section of the Parkway that would be an 80 in Florida, or looks the same as the previous mile that was at least a 65.

    The old saying is to treat people the way you want to be treated, it would go a long way if the police unions mentioned that to their membership.

11. 
    American 30 something lady said at 9:07 am on May 16th, 2015:

    These comments are outrageous, but several good points have been made from all sides. I would like to start out by telling the young people that you have every right to an opinion, but need to understand strong reaction to any controversial display is part of life. This is part of growing up. Just because you are a minor you are not safe in a technology heavy world where the Internet sensationalizes everything. I am glad my idealistic period of life happened before the internet was in everyone’s pocket. That being said do know that the media does not always tell the truth. There are police who abuse the power they have, but there are also police who die protecting and have good hearts. Nothing is all good or all bad. Even in my safe little piece of midwest America I have seen police who were bad people and that was white on white abuse so while I have seen good and honest cops I am not willing to tell young people to just trust anyone with a badge. If you commit a crime do not resist arrest. I don’t care if you are black, white, or Asian please do not give any officer a reason to make you the next cable news poster child for ratings. Until we live in a world where no one commits crime we need the police. The police need guns. People on both sides of the law die. Adults trolling on school projects aren’t teaching kids what they need to learn. It’s the school you are angry with, but instead of blasting the art teacher you are making little girls sad. The kid everyone is attacking was just sticking up for her school she didn’t even choose the project. Common sense is dead. Criminals don’t deserve protection, but sadly there have been many cases of the police going too far and that is what sparks distrust. Even as a white woman I would be afraid to resist arrest because that could get me killed. Racism and classism are both alive and well in this country. As a society we are doing something wrong. We need to teach our kids not to break the law, but we need to police our police better too. Anyone who doesn’t believe cops look the other way for cops is as foolish as any child who believe all cops are bad. Things are broken, we can fix them, but not with riots. Anyone who thinks burning down a store will change how police treat blacks has zero common sense. True change will happen when everyone sees reality instead of what the media tells them is reality. Hands up don’t shoot is something anyone arrested should do. Having recorded records of all arrests should be a must. Stay safe, by doing the smart thing.

12. 
    TheDigger said at 11:50 am on May 16th, 2015:

    From the District website:

    “The Westfield Public School District, in cooperation with family and community, prepares all students to reach their highest potential and to become productive, well-balanced and responsible citizens in a global society through educational programs that respect individual differences and diversity.”

    “Productive, well-balanced and responsible”

    “Respect individual differences and diversity”

    Hmmm….where is the well-balanced perspective in this one-sided propaganda view of all police? And when legitimately challenged as to the portrayal of all police with a broad brush, the student reaction is frankly immature at best (well, they are high school students under the influence of their teachers and the news media).

    Apparently the teachers of Kayla and the High School student above have failed to impart to their students not only correct English but also to comprehend that there may be two sides (or even more) to any discussion of an issue.

    This does not mean that criticism of police actions, at times, is not justified. There are bad apples in all walks of life, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, sexual orientation and any other identifier you choose to look at.

    At the same time, one needs to understand, and students to be taught, that there are consequences as to how you express yourself. Throwing gasoline on a fire is certainly not constructive if you wish to extinguish that fire. Inflammatory words, or art, may be an outlet to vent one’s rage and is a right under our constitution but others may decide that they wish to respond under that same right.

    Healthy, respectful debate and discussion might contribute to the learning process these high school students require in order to become productive, well-balanced and responsible citizens in a country as diverse as the United States of America.

13. 
    Proud Republican said at 5:18 pm on May 16th, 2015:

    right Digger. The saddest thing here is: these lightly educated kids who have been immersed in the politically correct nonsense of their left wing teachers, are clueless to what the real problems of the black community are, yet feel the need to sanctimoniously pontificate at the expense of police officers who have to confront the worst society has to offer. This is the same mentality that worships cop killer Mumia, and naively bought the BS “hands up don’t shoot” narrative. Try telling these kids the truth; first, when a criminal resists or attacks the police, bad things are likely to happen. Second, when kids are born out of wedlock, or you choose to do drugs, or drop out of school, or refuse to acquire a marketable skill, you will live in poverty through no one’s fault but your own. Third, the liberal agenda is the single biggest threat to the success of the black community known to man. So once these pathetic little know nothings wake up to that reality, maybe then, and only then will someone take them seriously.

14. 
    what you are missing PR said at 9:27 pm on May 16th, 2015:

    PR, what you are either missing, or ignorantly repeating, is the police officer line that somehow ” police officers .. have to confront the worst society has to offer” which is barely half of the story. The full story is that the whole of society deals with the worst of society everyday. Old ladies are beaten and robbed for drug money, then the police show up later to “investigate”. Store owners who are just trying to make a living, are consistently confronting theives, being robbed of their hard work and profits, then the police show up and fill out a report. In most of America, the police confront speeding drivers and parked cars, they confront fender benders and they confront the foreman who needs a lane blocked during rush hour, they confront teens looking for a place to skateboard, or smoke a cig and drink alcohol , they confront homeowners celebrating too loud on thier own private property, they confront little kids at fundraising events where they show off their pet dogs; none of those more common police encounters are with the worst of anything. The police just are not spening their days chasing down the worst of the worst while the rest of us go bird watching in a field of beautiful flowers and ponies.

    In my opinion, it is statements like yours that fuel the fire of distrust, jealousy, and even hatred of the police because it implies police officers are somehow above the rest of us common people and it repeats this nonsense somehow a police officers job is harder or worse than the doctor who has to take on a cancer patient, a computer scientist who takes on a nameless, faceless hacker, or a waitress who takes on a cranky customer for $5/hr.

    Just my opinion, but I don’t believe that the level and amount of “anticop” rhetoric has actually increased, its that the amount and level of sympathy from the silent majority has decreased, because of actions and statements of police superiority inline with yours.

15. 
    Proud Republican said at 10:54 pm on May 16th, 2015:

    @ what you are missing – I’m sure the widows of Rafael Ramos, Wenjin Liu, Daniel Faulkner, Benjamin Deen, Liquori Tate, et al would strongly disagree with you. You sound like an irate dude who couldn’t talk his way out of a speeding ticket.

16. 
    not really said at 12:38 am on May 17th, 2015:

    Maybe these are your co-workers PR? http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/us/miami-prosecutor-reviews-cases-of-police-officers-who-sent-racist-emails.html?_r=0

    Or maybe you are in fact this guy? http://sbnewspaper.com/2015/05/15/former-sb-officer-shoots-dog-in-face-community-outraged/
    Or this guy? http://www.myfoxny.com/story/29081499/police-new-jersey-officer-who-shot-dog-has-been-exonerated
    This guy? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/kincaid-pit-bull-lawsuit_n_3859731.html
    You could be this guy? http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/10/policeman-shoots-dog-video-contradicts-his-explanation/381651/
    This one? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/25/620000-shot-dog_n_3987021.html
    This guy? http://7online.com/news/caught-on-camera-officer-shoots-at-dog-in-crowd-of-people-during-arrest-in-brooklyn/666840/
    My bet though is you’re actually this guy? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/07/chicago-cop-shoots-fellow_n_3231621.html

    Those widows can disagree all they want, it just further proves my point just as your snide reply further proves my point that the police, and the “brotherhood” which you are clearly part of, believe you/they are above all others and simply live more meaningful and more import lives than us common people.

    Why not mention the family of these kids? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/13/1384085/-Video-of-cop-macing-handcuffed-teens-in-holding-cell-surfaces-suddenly-an-investigation-begins#

    This family? http://personalliberty.com/police-pepper-spray-arrest-father-of-dying-teen-for-yelling-at-first-responders-who-allowed-her-body-to-roll-off-a-gurney-as-she-died/

    Are are you too busy celebrating these heros? http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/3916963-181/injured-owl-rescued-by-chp?page=0
    hero? http://www.myfoxny.com/story/22240478/nypd-cop-gets-stuck-in-tree-trying-to-save-cat

    Or are you this hero who takes a break from shooting pet dogs, doesn’t shoot the coyote and saves a cat! http://www.aol.com/article/2015/05/07/police-officer-saves-wonder-cat-from-jaws-of-coyote/21180905/

    The police are not special beings, having a badge and a uniform does not make a person a hero any more than a store owner who is murdered is a hero. Maybe we should, but we certainly don’t close off city blocks and line the streets of the neighborhood for this guy who had to deal with the worst of society:
    http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Suspect-in-Bridgeport-Store-Owner-Murder-Arrested-299832241.html
    I doubt that the mayor showed up as his funeral and I doubt that a plaque will be put up in a public building at taxpayers expense in honor of his service to the community.

17. 
    Proud Republican said at 8:02 am on May 17th, 2015:

    How silly you are. Not every cop nor every interaction with the public will be absolutely, 100%, unquestionably pristine and without incident. I could pull out even more misconduct by doctors, nurses, soldiers, teachers, insurance salesman, bus drivers, etc. Are you going to trash them all because of proportionately few isolated incidents?
    I still believe you are holding a grudge over getting a ticket or getting chased from the playground as a kid. I have an idea. Next time your car is stolen, or you are mugged, or rioters are trashing a city you might be living in, call an art student from Westfield High.

18. 
    PR is fueling his own fire said at 10:26 am on May 17th, 2015:

    PR, the issue isnt that every interaction is not mistake free, its the attitude that you and your fellow officers have in dealing with the rest of society that has eroded public confidence in the police department.

    You, Tom, and I presume Art wrote this, don’t seem to understand, or feign a misunderstanding, of why a mostly white, somewhat upscale, low crime neighborhood is either “anticop” in your view, or just not sympathetic the police officers claims that noone loves them.

    I’ve provided multiple points and examples of cases where the silent majority is likely to read the story, digest the facts and determine that the police departments across our cities and states have become entitled elitists who put each other above the public.

    You have responded each time with what has become the stereotypical, expected snide responses from police officers by talking down, name calling, and angrily resorting to the label “anticop” as if anticop is the new word “racist”.

    You pretend that you can’t figure out how and why the majority became “anticop”, yet you label any person who points out consistent flaws in the department’s methodology and interactions with thd public as “anticop”. If my thankfully limited interactions with police officers have been them hiding in bushes in an obvious speed trap, them shooting my friends dog, them talking down to me at public events, and there are countless and easy to find stories in the news and stories among family, friends, neighbors, and cowworkers of the same, then odds are that these have been most people’s limited interaction with a police officer. Go to traffic court one morning, where someone has to take a day off of work because they were caught in a speed trap and ask if maybe that guy feels a little “anticop”, of course he is going to and with a heroin epidemic and drug dealing in full force nationwide, the thought that an officer hiding in the bushes along the Parkway is helping society is laughable. This is why West Field art students, among my others, just don’t cry for or with you and your “brothers”, because we all know you are lying when you claim you deal with the worst of society all day, we know you would take easy money in traffic court over ending a drug epidemic, we know you would rather interact with a guy in a suit driving his BMW 10 over in a 65 rather than go hide in the hallway of the local housing peojects waiting to jump out and grab the next drug mule, and the poeple of West Field know that you or your brother will be right there on the otherside of the overpass at exit 138 where the speed limit drops 10mph for no good reason just waiting to interact with us “worst of society” on our way to our jobs.

19. 
    Proud Republican said at 11:51 am on May 17th, 2015:

    Boy are you flailing wildly. The nonsense spewed by the little know nothings in Westfield has nothing to do with some guy in the suburbs irked because he got a ticket. It is because they are promoting the idiotic narrative that people like Michael Brown are fine upstanding citizens, pillars of the community who were sought after by police for no reason as they were minding their own business. It is the same stupidity that has people, small in number as they may be, clamoring for the release of the racist cop killer Mumia. When these empty headed kids, who probably never read a book cover to cover and have little or no capacity for critical thinking, blindly buy the BS contained in tweets and liberal sound bites, that is cause for alarm since it is the same mindset that they will bring into the voting booth. Is it any wonder that Democrats talk about “the stupidity of the American voter? These kids are what they were talking about.

20. 
    WHS said at 11:32 am on May 18th, 2015:

    I’m sorry but Proud Republican. Next time you decide to comment on something I suggest you take the high road rather than criticizing and insulting a teenager. If you write back it might be best to place a actual argument.

21. 
    Proud Republican said at 11:51 am on May 18th, 2015:

    Oh please, stop with the spoiled little whiner routine already. You thin skinned little twirps make me laugh. You put out outrageous, so-called art falsely accusing cops of murdering innocent people and follow it up with inane, incoherent statements, yet when someone challenges you, you go crying to mommy. Read my posts again kid. And come back in ten years after you get a reality check from the real world.

22. 
    some reporters sensationalize the news said at 2:51 pm on May 19th, 2015:

    The problem with this article is that it is false and misleading. The original article on tapintoWestfield by Jackie Lieberman showed only a few pieces of art and the artist’s statements that were against police brutality. It never mentioned the other pieces of art and the artist’s statements that were in support of the police. Unfortunately this original article did not do any research by asking the teacher about the exhibit and only assumed that it was
    against all police officers. The other problem is that this article also assumed that the teacher assigned these topics to the students. It in no way was an anti-cop exhibit but a current issues exhibit. Yes there were some pieces of art that were representing police brutality but there were also other pieces of work that were in support of law enforcement. The topics as the student was quoted as saying in the nj.com article were chosen by the students and pros and cons of each topic were presented. There were two other topics that were chosen as well. The teacher did not in any way choose or direct the students towards those topics. They were entirely student generated. The students were exploring their opinions and emotions regarding these current issues. The teacher was careful to not allow the student’s statements to generalize to all police officers, so made corrections where they were needed. Freedom of Speech is greatly valued and as the students, teachers, and administration of Westfield continue to get berated for this misconception and some members of the community are continuing to call for censorship of these images they are doing the exact opposite. The more publicity this gets the more the images get out to the public at large. I commend the teachers, students, and administration. They have been nothing but brave, thoughtful, empathetic, and supportive of the Westfield High School community. I am proud of the student that told the truth in the nj.com article. She has many qualities to be proud of and hopefully has not listened to the people that are trying to put her down. Those people should be ashamed of themselves. To get respect, you need to give respect. As far as the reporter that started all of this, Jackie Lieberman, I feel that she has done a grave discredit to her community that she reports to. Giving only one-side of the story to boost your readership is the same as lying. The images in question are not against the police. They are against police brutality. Excessive force is never O.K.