Supreme Court Cases every teen should know
The Case______________________________________
The date _______________
The issue:
Background:
The Outcome:
The Impact:
1. Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
The Case: Tinker v. Des Moines involved three students who were suspended from school for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War.
The date: December 10, 1968
The issue: The main issue in this case was whether the students' freedom of expression, protected under the First Amendment, was violated by the school's policy.
Background: The students planned to wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. However, the school instituted a policy that prohibited them from wearing the armbands. The students wore the armbands anyway and were suspended from school.
The Outcome: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students, stating that their symbolic speech was protected under the First Amendment. The Court held that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
The Impact: This case established the legal precedent for protecting students' rights to free speech, as long as their actions do not substantially disrupt the educational environment.
2. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
The Case: Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that challenged the segregation of public schools based on race.
The date: May 17, 1954
The issue: The main issue in this case was whether the "separate but equal" doctrine, established in Plessy v. Ferguson, was constitutional regarding public schools.
Background: African American students were denied admission to several public schools solely because of their race. This case aimed to challenge racial segregation in schools and argue for the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Outcome: The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Brown, stating that racial segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court concluded that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal.
The Impact: This case overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine and set the stage for the desegregation of public schools, leading to significant advancements in the civil rights movement.
3. New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)
The Case: New Jersey v. T.L.O. involved a high school student who was caught smoking cigarettes in the bathroom, leading to a search of her purse, which uncovered evidence of drug possession.
The date: January 15, 1985
The issue: The main issue in this case was whether the search conducted by the school violated the student's Fourth Amendment rights.
Background: After finding cigarettes in the student's purse, a vice-principal searched it further and discovered drug paraphernalia and marijuana. The student argued that the search was unconstitutional.
The Outcome: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school, stating that the search conducted by school officials was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. The Court established the "reasonable suspicion" standard for searches conducted by school officials.
The Impact: This case allowed schools to conduct searches on students if there is a reasonable suspicion of a violation of school rules, setting guidelines for school searches while balancing students' privacy rights.
These three cases provide important insights into student rights, racial equality, and privacy within a school setting, making them essential for teens to know and understand.