A Lehighton Area High School freshman and student council representative quieted discussion Monday night on a social media debate over vulgar language used during the school’s homecoming dance.

Nickolas Smith visited Lehighton’s school board meeting to defend chaperones of the event.

On Oct. 14, the Facebook page “Concerned Voices for Lehighton Classrooms” posted, “We have received an alarming number of (private messages) reporting profane and vulgar language and inappropriate behavior at the Homecoming Dance this past Saturday. Apparently, the chaperones did nothing to stop it. If this is true it needs to be reported, immediately. If this is not true, and someone or several someones think it’s funny to pull down the reputation of your school district in this way, it is not. Either way, the district, and the community lose.”

Smith quickly responded with, “I’d just like to say that you need to realize that we are high school students we are more mature and sophisticated and with that being said I think that when it comes to vulgar language it’s not that big of a deal. Honestly we’ve heard it all … the chaperones had different tactics on stopping some inappropriate behavior, and if someone says otherwise they are plain out liars.”

On Monday, Smith reiterated that stance, but also took issue with an email he received from school board Director David Bradley in response to his post.

The email, Smith said, commended him on using his First Amendment rights, but also encouraged him to protect his Fourth, Fifth and 14th Amendment rights.

“None of those amendments had anything to do with what was going on, but the 14th Amendment stuck out more clearly because it deals with equal protection for former slaves,” Smith, an African-American student, said. “My parents and family found that to be a racist comment.”

During Monday’s meeting, Bradley said the reference was not a racial implication, but more a function of students’ rights.

“I feel like students’ rights have been removed inside of these school walls and I firmly believe you should keep those rights,” Bradley told Smith. “As far as the lewd behavior and vulgarity, we have policies, and there is a requirement for every parent, chaperone and staff member to follow those. It is our responsibility as a school board to judge them on how they followed those policies and handled the situation.”

Smith said songs at the dance were played that had some vulgar lyrics, but those lyrics were bleeped out. Some students, however, shouted out the words anyway.

“The chaperones and staff members addressed this immediately,” Smith said. “I don’t think there was a need to judge them in this situation.”

Several students attended the meeting with Smith to support him in his comments before the board.

Bradley told Smith, a student council member, to, “learn about students’ rights so you can be a better advocate for your constituency. A lack of that would be an immoral action.”

“That’s not my job,” Smith responded. “I’m a freshman. I’m a student.”

Board President Larry Stern thanked Smith for addressing the governing body.

“I think you’re a great representative of student council.”