Ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, on February 24, 1969, the majority opinion declared, “A prohibition against expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others, is not permissible under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.”
The question presented was:
“[W]hether the First and Fourteenth Amendments permit officials of state supported public schools to prohibit students from wearing symbols of political views within school premises where the symbols are not disruptive of school discipline or decorum.”
Oral Arguments
You can hear the oral arguments for this case here:
Or listen to them directly on the Supreme Court’s website here.
The Ruling
You can read the final ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District either in our read in full below, or click here for a PDF.
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