Headline RoundupApril 28th, 2021

Supreme Court Hears High School Student's Free Speech Case

Summary from the AllSides News Team

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments for a case which could impact free speech for American public school students. The case, Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L, centers around a then-high school sophomore who tried out for her school’s varsity cheerleading squad and didn’t make the team; soon after, the student posted an image of herself and a friend holding up their middle fingers to Snapchat, with an expletive-heavy caption. As punishment, the school's cheer coaches suspended the student from the cheerleading team for one year. The Pennsylvania school, backed by the Biden administration, argued the Supreme Court should allow schools to regulate students speech on social media when it becomes disruptive. American Civil Liberties Union lawyer David Cole, representing the student, argued educators should have no authority over student speech when they are not under a school’s supervision. The case could clarify the limits of the 1969 Supreme Court precedent that allows public schools to punish student speech when it "substantially disrupts" school. A decision is expected by June. Outlets from the left and center tended to highlight the details of the case and provide analysis of the line justices must navigate between regulating free speech and leaving educators tools to deal with disruptive behavior. Some outlets on the right frame the Biden administration's backing of the school as support of censorship.

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