Judicial standards of analysis have stayed fairly consistent on student freedom of expression. But the how and what of student speech has changed over time. When first recognized as an issue in the 1960s, the form of student speech was armbands, sit-ins, newsletters, and formal speeches. Now, students are expressing their views on T-shirts, banners, wristbands, web sites, and social media. The content of the speech has shifted, too. The student speech challenged through the courts is not just political speech; it now includes social issues and just plain silliness.
For the sake of space, consider some of the issues presented in recent student T-shirts reported in cases and in the media.
Courts upheld the school’s decision to ban shirts that were adorned with these words and/or images:
You’ve accessed your three free articles for this month.
If you are a PDK member, login to read more.
If you are not a PDK member, join for full access, in addition to other benefits. Complete our membership form to join.
Forgot your password? Visit the Member Portal to reset your password.
Having trouble? Contact our member services team at memberservices@pdkintl.org or 800-766-1156.
