Ronald C. Brown v. Hot, Sexy and Safer Productions, Inc.

Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
1995 U.S. App. LEXIS 29785, 68 F.3d 525, 1995 WL 610915 (1995)
ELI5:

Sections

Rule of Law:

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The Legal Principle

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Facts:

  • Chelmsford High School students Jason P. Mesiti and Shannon Silva were both fifteen years old.
  • The Chelmsford Parent Teacher Organization and school administration arranged for Suzi Landolphi of Hot, Sexy and Safer Productions, Inc. to conduct a mandatory AIDS awareness assembly.
  • A Chelmsford School Committee policy required 'positive subscription, with written parental permission' as a prerequisite for instruction in human sexuality.
  • The school did not provide parents with advance notice of the program's sexually explicit content or an opportunity to excuse their children from attendance.
  • On April 8, 1992, Mesiti and Silva were compelled to attend the 90-minute assembly.
  • During the program, Landolphi used profane and lewd language, simulated masturbation, and conducted sexually suggestive skits with student volunteers from the audience.
  • The presentation included numerous references to orgasms, genitals, oral sex, and masturbation.
  • Mesiti and Silva alleged they were humiliated and intimidated by the program and that other students exhibited overtly sexual behavior in the weeks that followed.

Procedural Posture:

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How It Got Here

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Issue:

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Legal Question at Stake

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Opinions:

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Majority, Concurrences & Dissents

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Analysis:

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Why This Case Matters

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