Juneau-Douglas High School

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Coordinates: 58°18′19″N 134°25′40″W / 58.30518, -134.427862

Juneau-Douglas High School (abbreviated JDHS) is the only public, mainstream high school serving students in grades 9–12 for all of Juneau, Alaska, and Douglas Island as well as the primary high school for the Juneau School District. The school dates back a number of decades, and it has recently undergone extensive renovations, most notably to its main hall.

As of 2005, the school has an enrollment of 1,800 students, with Bernie Sorenson serving as principal.

[edit] History

The school was first accredited in 1927 by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.

In January 2002, Joseph Frederick, a student at JDHS, unfurled a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" across from the school in an effort to get on television as the Olympic torch relay passed the school. The principal at the time, Deborah Morse, took the banner from him and suspended him for ten days, on the grounds that the banner opposed the school's mission and anti-drug policy. On March 10, 2006, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that Morse had violated Frederick's right to free speech, overturning an earlier Alaskan federal court ruling. Judge Andrew Kleinfeld wrote in the court's opinion, "Public schools are instrumentalities of government, and government is not entitled to suppress speech that undermines whatever missions it defines for itself." Fredrick was also cleared to seek damages from Morse.

On December 1, 2006 the United States Supreme Court announced that they agreed to hear an appeal of the case; it is Juneau School Board v. Frederick, 06-278. On June 25, 2007, the Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit, holding that the school district did not violate Frederick's First Amendment rights.

[edit] Sports

JDHS's school sports teams (for either gender) are the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears. The teams' logo is a fiercely-roaring bear as they are commonly seen throughout Juneau, Douglas, and the Mendenhall Valley.

JDHS has had a renowned history in sports largely dominating its regional level of play and competing at the statewide level as well. Some of its most recent accomplishments are an 03-04 and 04-05 boys cross-country state championship, 04-05 boys swim & dive state chamipionship, 04-05 softball state championship, 04-05 boys track & field state championship, 05-06 girls swim & dive state championship, and both the 05-06 and 07-08 football state championships. The JDHS soccer team was the runner up at the state championship in the 05-06 season. Also, in the 06 summer season, the tennis team enjoyed victory up in Fairbanks in an Alaska wide tournament.

[edit] Notable Alumni

• NBA player Carlos Boozer
• MLB pitcher Chad Bentz
• Screenwriter Douglas J. Eboch

[edit] External links

• Juneau-Douglas High School website
• Official statistics
• Juneau School District website
• MSNBC article about banner case