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.
In 150 words or less
The Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) and Texas v. Johnson (1989) Supreme Court cases are related through the central theme of free speech protections under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Tinker involved students wearing armbands to protest the Vietnam War, while Texas v. Johnson concerned the act of flag burning as a form of political protest. Both cases resulted in landmark decisions that broadened the interpretation of free speech.
For U.S. citizens, these rulings affirm that the government cannot prohibit speech simply because it is controversial or offensive. In Tinker, the Court established the principle that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." Texas v. Johnson underscored that even expressive conduct, like burning the flag, is protected as symbolic speech. These cases collectively ensure robust protection of free speech and influence the boundaries of lawful expression in schools and public discourse.