Protesting students at Oak Harbor High School are providing a good learning experience for administrators and students alike.

A number of students were concerned about a discipline issue last week and expressed their views peacefully but in some cases stubbornly. Police were called to remove five of the students in what constituted an arrest, which sparked more sympathetic protests, some held on the streets.

Students do have rights of free expression, but those rights have to be balanced against the right of other students to attend their classes in a safe environment. Administrators have to walk a fine line between allowing free expression and maintaining an orderly school.

It’s a difficult balancing act, and from time to time further education is needed so everyone understands the rules. It’s not easy, as even the Supreme Court has been torn by the competing interests in such cases. But if students present their views respectfully without disrupting others, they should be able to express themselves at school. The present controversy at Oak Harbor High School will be beneficial if it produces a better understanding of the issue. After all, that’s what education is all about.

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