Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District

School officials are often confronted with difficult decisions when student attempts at expression result in disorder or the potential disruption of regular school activities. A fundamental case establishing the free speech and political rights of students in school settings is Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969). The results in Tinker leave school officials with some guidance for regulating student expression. School officials who wish to regulate student expression must be able to demonstrate that student expressive activities would result in material and substantial interference with the operations of the school or invade the rights of others. When school officials have specific facts that reasonably support predictions of disruption, they can regulate student expression, including banning specified activities.

Schools are considered limited public spaces. ...