1st Amendment Wrangling

In the “Bethel School District v. Fraser” case, Fraser believed that the school violated his first amendment “freedom of speech” rights. Fraser gave a speech with some inappropriate content in it and the school gave him a three day suspension because two teachers warned him before he gave the speech. Fraser took it to court and the justices said they would shorten the suspension and let him have his right to speak at graduation because the school was taking away his freedom of speech.

The Melton v. Young case is about a high school student that was suspended for wearing a jacket with a Confederate flag. The issue that was discussed is, whether or not the school officials could suspend a student for wearing Confederate flag. The clothing sparking racial tension was also discussed. The racial tension from the previous year was an argument for the defense because it can be said that the jacket could have refueled this. The defense also stated that the Melton family was informed of the new rules and chose to break them. The plaintiff’s argument was that the student’s suspension was unconstitutional and the confederate flag is a part of his heritage. The district court ruled the school’s dress code policy unconstitutionally

It is a case when a student made a hate profile on myspace about a middle school principal, James McGonigle. This document has four paragraphs explaining what happened to the principle, on this myspace profile, there was a photo of the principal along with offensive and vulgar language. On March 20, the principle was confronted by two teachers who said that some students were discussing the myspace profile in class. They said that the teacher and principal violated the student 's First Amendment free speech rights when he suspended

The Tinker versus Des Moines court case involved three minors, John Tinker, Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhart. These three wore black armbands to their schools to protest the Vietnam War and were suspended following this action. Circuit courts and the Court of Appeals in Iowa ruled that the black armbands were inappropriate attire for school. This case was then brought to a higher-up court. Eventually, this case was brought before the Supreme Court. The students believed that in appealing to the rulings of the separate courts they were protected under the 1st Amendment to show their freedom of speech and symbolic freedom as well.

In 1787 our founding fathers assembled the constitution of the United States of America. Of this which contains the most important document to the American citizen, the Bill of rights. The first Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” These freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights are often known as freedom of expression. These rights are most important to a truly free society. The first amendment provides us with new ideas and dismisses the fear of punishment

Chapter three does a good job pointing out that compulsory attendance laws served as an impetus for challenging schools over both their segregationist and exclusionary policies toward students of differing race and ability (Yell, 2016, p. 36). At the time our government was sending a very ambiguous message to students and their families. On one hand, the law of the land dictated that students must attend school, conversely schools continued to exclude students with disabilities. This inherent contradiction let to parent advocacy groups challenging schools for the fair and equal treatment of their children.

School Dress codes do not allow students to completely express their individuality. Schools want students to be able to think for themselves and create a sense of who they are, but it is not easy when they are forced to abide by rules that take away from from that. It should be a place of expressing ourselves freely in a learning environment without having to worry about what we wear as an interfering issue. The fact that the school system cares more about the student dress code than their education is an issue in itself. Schools should promote dress code individuality because of religious aspects, mental health, and human experience.

First, there are many dress code rules in schools. A handful of these rules include, no hats, no illegal substances can be advertised on garments, no sunglasses, and jackets must be worn with good taste (“Student”). Rules directed at a specific gender includes, “Female student can wear unsleeved garments that adequately cover their undergarments” (“Student”), and, ”Male students have to wear sleeved garments” (“Student”). With rules comes opinions, and with opinions comes arguments.

As seen in previous cases like Tinker vs. Des Moines, students have the right to political say, unless it causes disruption at school of students are promoting something that goes against the law. In the case of Tinker v Des Moines the students were not promoting anything illegal but showed their thought on the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands (Tinker). Argued in court by Kenneth W. Starr in the Morse v. Frederick case, he gave the idea that the foundation for school censorship was the case of Tinker v. Des Moines (Morse). The Justices responded back saying, that case was a different scenario as the students weren 't doing anything against the law while Frederick was encouraging the use of marijuana which was illegal (Morse).

Any girl who has attended a public high school understands the daily dilemma of dress code. On those scorching hot days as the school year approaches summer, many girls can be found scavenging through their closet for a “school appropriate” outfit or one they won’t melt into a sweaty puddle in. Her dresses will show too much leg, her tops will inappropriately expose her shoulder or collar bone, and her shorts will be too short — at least that 's what the school says. Dress code in modern day high schools should be boycotted because they are a violation to student and parents rights, sexist, out of date, a double standard, and they disrupt a female students education.

In 1965, a group of students who wore a black band on their arm to protest the war in Vietnam. The faculty in the school requested them to remove the band and when they refused, the district suspended the students. When they took the case to Supreme Court and they sided with the students stating students and teachers cannot "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." The court did not grant the a right to “unlimited” self expression and said that if the expression of the student does not disrupt others in school, it can be done, worn, or followed through with in any way that can be done in that manner.

According to a United States Supreme Court ruling, public schools have the ability to restrict students’ First Amendment rights. This became true in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District Supreme Court case when Mary Beth Tinker, John Tinker, and Christopher Eckhart wore black arm bands to protest the Vietnam War. In order to understand Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court case one must establish the history, examine the case, and explain the impacts.

The first amendment is a constitutional right inherited by every American citizen, but how far is it truly reaching? At school, it has always been a wonder to me about the rights we students have amongst our peers. While some students use the first amendment inappropriately at school, a student has the right to voice their opinion under the protection of the first amendment. This is because, as decided by the Supreme Court, students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate” (Oyez, 1) therefore giving us this, some-what, shield of protection.

Have you ever gotten dress coded? Well, I have, even though what I was wearing wasn’t even bad. Schools have always had a problem with the dress code because students want to wear what they like! First, everyone expresses themselves in many ways. When teens express themselves through their clothes they shouldn 't get punished for it. Second, a dress code should not harm anyone 's religion or heritage background. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about getting dress coded for the way they look because if it was how they were raised they shouldn’t have to get looked down on for it. Although, it can help with kids and teens getting teased. Kids don’t just get teased for their clothes, it could be anything and that will never change. Teens should be able to wear clothes they want and not what the schools want.

Zero-tolerance policies are policies that have been adapted in work places, communities, and, most frequently, schools. Depending on how certain schools are run and who they are run by, zero-tolerance policies could be positive and helpful or negative and harmful. Many people wonder are these policies really effective in reducing crime and creating safer environments in schools like lawmakers claim these policies are doing; most of the opponents to zero-tolerance policies believe that the policies are just cruel punishments that add to the problems that already exist in our schools and communities. There are obviously those who feel that the policies do exactly what they say they do; advocates for zero-tolerance policies