This question has two parts.
Explain how the Tinker v Des Moines and Texas v Johnson Supreme Court cases are related. Explain the effect(s) these cases have on US citizens.
(4 points)
The Tinker v Des Moines and Texas v Johnson Supreme Court cases are related as they both deal with issues of free speech and symbolic expression protected by the First Amendment.
In Tinker v Des Moines (1969), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a group of students who were suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The Court held that students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate. This case established that students have the right to express their political beliefs in public schools unless their actions cause substantial disruption to the educational environment.
Texas v Johnson (1989) involved the burning of an American flag in protest during the 1984 Republican National Convention. The Supreme Court declared that flag burning was a form of symbolic speech protected under the First Amendment. It recognized that individuals have the right to express themselves through actions such as flag desecration, even if it is highly offensive or deeply disrespectful to others.
The effect of these cases on US citizens is that they strengthened the protection of free speech and expression rights, particularly in public schools and in the form of symbolic acts. Tinker v Des Moines recognized the importance of political speech for students and clarified that their rights are not diminished while at school. Texas v Johnson affirmed that even highly controversial and offensive acts of expression, such as flag burning, are protected by the Constitution. These cases have reinforced the principles of free speech and allowed individuals to engage in forms of expression that may challenge societal norms or provoke controversy, further guaranteeing the right to dissent and engage in political and symbolic speech.