Scammer
Banned
Emil Cohen has been barred from sports activities at Northern Secondary School for the rest of the school year.
A Toronto teen says he is incredulous that he was suspended after publicly criticizing his high school for what he calls inadequate support for his soccer team.
Speaking at a Nov. 22 assembly at Northern Secondary School that was supposed to be a celebration of the school's athletic achievements, Emil Cohen said: "We now have it instilled into us that soccer [at Northern] is synonymous with the word 'unnecessary.'"
Cohen, 17, said he was upset that students had to take it upon themselves this year to "to do the phys ed department's job to find a coach" for the school's team. In past years, the team also had to supply most of its own equipment and was frequently forced to cede use of the school's field to the football team, he said.
The day after his speech, Cohen was suspended for two days and was barred from all sporting activities at the school.
"The first words out of my mouth were: 'Are you serious?' Because I couldn't believe that this warrants a suspension," said Cohen, who has served the suspension.
The Toronto District School Board superintendent for the area said Cohen disobeyed the rule that speeches before the school body must be approved in advance by staff. The teen didn't follow the directions of a teacher who advised him to amend his speech, said Ian Allison.
"He certainly didn't comply with his teacher in the process that he was supposed to follow," he said. "There are pieces in terms of the Education Act around students needing to be able to follow through with expectations and directions of their teachers."
'It's about freedom of speech'
But some students are so upset by Cohen's suspension they've organized a Friday protest at Northern, on Mount Pleasant Road north of Eglinton Avenue West.
"It's about freedom of speech and being able to say what you want at your school without being censored," said Henry Lee Heinonen, a friend of Cohen's.
Louis Greenspan, a professor of philosophy at McMaster University, said Cohen should be allowed to express his opinion in the venue of his choice.
"He didn't tell the students to torch the building, you know," said Greenspan, speaking at a student workshop on dissent and free speech organized by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association at another high school.
"He didn't ask them to commit to any violence. He just made his case in a context where he knew he would be heard."
The CCLA has written to the school board asking it to re-evaluate its decision to suspend Cohen's sporting privileges. A board spokesman told CBC News it is willing to work with Cohen to get his privileges reinstated.
