Tinker Vs Moines In Schools

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In 1969 the Tinker vs Des Moines case shows that John and Mary Tinker were protesting the Vietnam war by wearing black armbands due to the length and high death count with the lack of a clear and achievable goal.The siblings were asked by administrators to remove the armband but they refused which led to suspensions and then led parents suing the school for a violation of the First Amendment rights, The case then eventually became a Supreme Court decision in 1969 to inform the court on freedom of speech and expression of students.

Abraham Fortas, a justice in the Supreme Court stated that “School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students.Students in school as well as out of school are “persons” under our Constitution...in the speech, students are entitled to freedom of expression of their own views.” (excerpt 1). Students should be able to express themselves and express their opinions at school. The First Amendment in the Constitution is freedom of speech and the right to express opinions freely. The students at Des Moines schools did not cause “disruption of or material interference with school activities, and no disturbances or disorders on school premises in fact occurred”(Excerpt 2). Students brought up
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Fortas explained, “In the absence of a specific showing of constitutionally valid reason to regulate their speech, students are entitled to freedom of expression of their views.School officials cannot suppress “expression of feelings with which they do not wish to contend”, First Amendment rights, applied in light of the special characteristics of the school environment are available to teachers and students” (excerpt 1). Students should be allowed to freely express their opinions and feelings at school, and they are free to do so, along with the teachers. The Supreme Court held that they did not affect the First Amendment in any