Kentwood — East Kentwood High School senior Frankie Lape’s family had two signs for U.S Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, in their front yard when an enforcement officer from the City of Kentwood knocked on their door.
The officer notified them that the signs in favor of Scholten’s bid for Congress were in violation of the city’s sign ordinance, which allows just one sign per issue or per candidate. The family was told they would be fined $65 if they didn’t remove one.
Frankie questioned the rule and took action.
“I decided to research it, because I am in (the class and competitive team) We the People and I’ve learned a lot about politics and the government. It just didn’t seem right. It seemed like a violation of the First Amendment.”
Scholten is running for reelection against Republican attorney Paul Hudson.
Frankie’s research led him to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case, Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which unanimously invalidated an ordinance in the Arizona town that treated signs differently based on their content.
He looked further into the issue with We the People and AP Government teacher Justin Robbins, and decided to address the Kentwood City Commission, referencing the Supreme Court case.
‘It seemed like a violation of The First Amendment.’
— East Kentwood senior Frankie Lape
We the People competitions involve simulated congressional hearings in which students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles. It is a one-year course for students who have already taken AP Government. The East Kentwood team is the back-to-back state champion for 2023 and 2024.
At the Sept. 17 meeting, Frankie stated why he believes the ordinance violates his First Amendment and 14th Amendment rights. He said the response from the commission was positive.
“I received a lot of good handshakes. A lot of (city officials) told me they didn’t really know it existed,” he said.
In early October, Frankie heard from city officials that they would no longer be enforcing the ordinance. The two signs are back in his yard.
City attorney Jeff Sluggett said in a written response that the city “has preliminarily concluded the relevant ordinance should be modified for clarity and are actively pursuing that path.
“We appreciate Mr. Lape calling our attention to this matter, and are currently reviewing our sign ordinance provisions. As a city, we encourage residents to share their concerns.”
Civic Engagement in Action
Frankie, who turns 18 in the spring, said it was important to make his voice heard — and to use some of what he’s learned in school to make his point.
“It directly impacted me,” he said. “Maybe they need to change this because it could possibly be a violation of these rights.”
Frankie’s awareness that a city’s rules might be misaligned with people’s rights is the kind of thinking Robbins hopes for from his students.
“It’s rewarding as a teacher any time you get feedback that what you’re doing has an impact outside the four walls of your classroom,” Robbins said. “That’s why we do what we do.”
Robbins said he is impressed with Frankie’s initiative to pursue the issue on his own. Along with his research, Frankie talked with Robbins about how to best present his case to the city and what questions to anticipate.
“To take his work and present it in front of a (city commission) meeting and draw attention to the issue with his in-depth research — at 17 years old — really is a great example of civic engagement and the way the skills and content we work with daily can have an impact in the community.”
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