Supreme Court Rules for High-School Cheerleader Brandi Levy in Free-Speech Case Over Snapchat Post

The Supreme Court extended its protection of student speech to social media on Wednesday, by an 8-1 ruling that a Pennsylvania school district overstepped its authority by punishing a high-school cheerleader who used a vulgar word on Snapchat when she didn’t make the varsity cheerleading team.

The case stems from a May 2017 Snapchat post that Brandi Levy, then a high-school sophomore in Mahanoy City, Pa., sent to some 250 followers after failing to make the varsity cheerleading squad.

“F— school f— softball f— cheer f— everything,” the 14-year-old, frustrated at the prospect of another year on the junior-varsity team, wrote on her cellphone, posting a photo of herself and a friend extending middle fingers. The Snap automatically disappeared in 24 hours, but a screenshot of the message made its way to a cheerleading coach. The school then suspended Ms. Levy from the junior-varsity team for the school year, saying she had violated various rules including prohibitions of foul language, unsportsmanlike conduct and disrespect of the school.