This Constitution Day, we take a look back on the key student free speech & expression SCOTUS cases that shaped the current legal landscape.
Reflecting on the legal foundations of student free speech and expression
Tag: free speech
The Supreme Court’s 303 Creative decision: “A vital tool in the arsenal of student journalists”
Attorney Lena Shapiro analyzes the Supreme Court's 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis decision, explaining the implications for student journalists.
SPLC’s 5 minute guide to B.L. v. Mahanoy
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., No 20-255 B.L. v. Mahanoy is a free expression case the Supreme Court decided in June 2021. The case has major implications for public school students across the country. This page is a primer for reporters, students and teachers who want a quick explanation of the case and how… Continue reading SPLC’s 5 minute guide to B.L. v. Mahanoy
MEDIA ADVISORY: SPLC attorneys are available to provide analysis of Mahanoy v. B.L.
Student Press Law Center attorneys are available to speak with media about the ruling in this major student speech case and its implications.
Mary Beth Tinker to high school journalists: It’s your job to speak up on behalf of others
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mary Beth Tinker, First Amendment advocate and former plaintiff in a landmark Supreme Court case that still affects students' speech rights 50 years later, told her story to hundreds of high school journalism students visiting the nation's capital on Nov. 22 — encouraging them to be caring, and use their free speech… Continue reading Mary Beth Tinker to high school journalists: It’s your job to speak up on behalf of others
Ask SPLC: What can private school students do when they’re censored?
Q: Do private school students have any recourse when their free speech rights are stripped? A: Options for fighting private school censorship can vary significantly from school to school. As you are probably already aware, you don't have First Amendment protection from censorship in private schools, so you have to look elsewhere. Reminder: The First Amendment only protects… Continue reading Ask SPLC: What can private school students do when they’re censored?
NEWS RELEASE: Student Press Law Center Statement on Government Involvement in Promoting “Free Inquiry”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2019 Contact: Diana Mitsu Klos, SPLC director of engagement, (202) 728-7267 dmk@splc.org We are concerned by the attempt by government to insert itself into “free inquiry” and the debates around free speech on campus at both the federal and state level. Since 1974, the Student Press Law Center has been… Continue reading NEWS RELEASE: Student Press Law Center Statement on Government Involvement in Promoting “Free Inquiry”
SPLC signs onto brief appealing discipline for “disrespectful” political speech by medical student on Facebook
Editor's Note: The Student Press Law Center signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida. This story was originally published by the Brechner Center. Read or download the full brief. In the latest legal skirmish over the ability of public universities to regulate what… Continue reading SPLC signs onto brief appealing discipline for “disrespectful” political speech by medical student on Facebook
University of Wisconsin system approves policy mandating punishment for students who disrupt free expression
University of Wisconsin schools will now be required to suspend students after two violations and expel them after three.
How to cover free speech issues on university campuses
As the debate over free speech on college campuses continues across the country, it's important for student journalists to prepare themselves. Are you ready to cover this issue when it comes to your school?