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Essay On First Amendment In Schools

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The first amendment of our Constitution states that we as citizens have the right to freedom of speech, granting us the right to express ourselves as individuals without interference or constraint from the government. But does this right apply to students in your average public school?
The Supreme Court has ruled that the government has the right to prohibit speech that disrupts peace or causes violence, especially in public schools. In fact, there have been multiple instances in which the Supreme Court has gotten involved in the first amendment rights of public school students.
Some commonly known examples are the Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) and Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser (1986). Recently in Oregon an eighth grader was suspended for wearing a t-shirt displaying an image of fallen soldiers with the words “Standing for those who stood for us,” However the t-shirt also included images of boots, a helmet, and a gun, school officials claimed this shirt was offensive and told the eighth grader to change his shirt. When he refused he was given an ultimatum: remove the shirt or be suspended.
Due to another tragic school shooting, some found his shirt to be insensitive, yet wearing the shirt was a form of freedom of speech because it was an expression of his opinion. In the …show more content…

This of course did raise controversy, because his t-shirt and the images it displayed technically did not meet the necessary standards in order for him to receive suspension or punishment of any kind. In conclusion, freedom of speech does not entirely apply to public schools students in order to maintain a safe and peaceful learning

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