13 May 1997 The Way Things Ought to Be – Not! Another Update on the Case of the Boy Who Was Forbidden to Read Limbaugh in School

Posted at 18:09h in Articles by

This Rutherford Institute May 1997 press release brings the public up-to-date on what happened to the little boy in Virginia who was forbidden to read Rush Limbaugh’s book during an open reading period in public school.

THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE

May 13, 1997

John W. Whitehead
Founder and President

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Press Contact:
John Pyle (804) 846-2600 or David Melton (804) 978-3888
E-Mail: [email protected]

ORAL ARGUMENTS TO BE HELD TOMORROW IN “RUSH LIMBAUGH” CASE
Teachers Censored Limbaugh’s Book and Newsletter, Political Pin
Lynchburg, Va. – Oral arguments will be held in U.S. district court in Lynchburg tomorrow at 11 am. over whether or not to grant summary judgment to the defendants in the “Rush Limbaugh” case. All of the defendants are teachers or officials in Bedford County’s school district.

Rutherford Institute affiliate attorney John Pyle will represent Jason Gardner, a fourth-grade student at Montvale Elementary School who had Rush Limbaugh’s The Way Things Out To Be taken away when he attempted to read it during a free-reading period.

Montvale teachers also told Jason to remove an Oliver North bumper sticker from his book bag and required him to remove a pin which opposed the Clinton/Gore ticket in order to receive a better evaluation on an assignment. In addition, they refused to let him read the “Limbaugh Letter,” Rush Limbaugh’s monthly newsletter, during recreational reading time.

“We are confident that the judge will recognize the serious free speech issues involved in this case and refuse to grant summary judgment to the defendants,” said David Melton, staff counsel for The Rutherford Institute. “Whenever teachers attempt to use their position of authority to stifle the free speech rights of their students it is a serious matter. We hope that the judge will send a strong message to Montvale Elementary that anti-free speech activities will not be tolerated.”

The Rutherford Institute is an international, nonprofit civil liberties organization.

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P.O. Box 7482, Charlottesville, VA, 22906-7482
Phone(804) 978-3888 Facsimile (804) 978-1799
E-mail: [email protected]



The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today’s public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century.