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I will be taking on the perspective of an administrator working in a primary or secondary school in rural Missouri. I am pursuing a Master's Degree in Administrative Leadership from Angelo State University. This padlet is to be used as a resource to better understand the nuances surrounding the issue of student freedom of expression.

I chose this topic because I am not employed in the academic career field. However, I believe strongly that students are still protected by the first amendment and their constitutional rights should not be infringed.

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I interviewed the principle of East Newton Middle School, Bill Kirby. https://www.eastnewton.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=844291&pageId=930151

Principle Kirby has been working in educational administration for 29 years and has had few issues involving student freedom expression until the past four to five years. He stated that most of the freedom of expression issues that he has handled have been related to students breaking the school dress code. Principle Kirby's belief is that students should be allowed to explore their individuality as long as it does not cause disruption. He stressed that students retain their first amendment rights when on school grounds.

Principle Kirby gave three steps on how to handle students' freedom of expression issues:

1. Maintain aware of on-going issues, court cases, and decisions involving student freedom of expression.
2. Upon encountering an issue, reference school board policy and school handbook.
3. If there is not guidance relevant to the specific issue then consider the local community's culture and how decisions would affect the school's standing in the community.

Emerging Local Issues:

Principle Kirby stated that there are not many on-going local student expression issues in rural Missouri. However, while not involving a student's expression, there was an incident at nearby Neosho High School of some relevance. A new speech and theater teacher was asked to remove an LGBT flag from his classroom. The teacher, John M. Wallis, removed the signs but then told students if they took issue with LGBT people that they should change classes. The Neosho Superintendent, Jim Cummins, had Wallis sign a letter stating that he would cease to push any personal agenda in regards to sexuality in the classroom. Wallis resigned the day after signing that letter (Yurcaba, 2021).

This story made national news which is rare for any event that happens in rural Missouri. Furthermore, Cummins's actions demonstrated Principle Kirby's advice in action.

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Missouri Association of School Administrators

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Missouri Association of School Administrators

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The Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) has a fantastic presentation on student free speech. The presentation breaks down what type of speech is protected and what type of speech is not through an intuitive flow chart. The presentation, shared on the MASA website, details the importance to not restrict free speech that conveys a protected message (Basi & Clendennen, 2017).

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District leaders are charged with many important responsibilities including the need to be an effective legislative advocate for your district and the students it serves. MASA, MoASBO and MARE have designed a workshop for superintendents, assistant superintendents, and chief financial officers, that will give participants the knowledge and confidence to build relationships with those at the state capitol, to advocate for good legislation, and to push back against legislation that is harmful to your districts and public education.

This workshop will address the following topics:

Building relationships with legislators so your voice is effective.

Preparing to make a positive impact when testifying in a committee hearing.

Interpreting the potential impact of bills that are filed and responding to fiscal notes.

Understanding the logistics of the Capitol facility and how a bill becomes law.

Date: September 27, 2021

Time: 9:00 am. to 12:00 pm.

Location: In person event - MCSA Education Center, 3550 Amazonas Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109 or chose to participate online via webinar.

Cost: $60 (includes box lunch). There is no charge if you are participating as a first-year superintendent in the MASA Workshop Discount Program

Deadline for Registration: Wednesday, September 22, 2021.

This workshop is part of the MASA LDS Series in collaboration with MoASBO and MARE.
Register Now!
CANCELLATION POLICY: Workshops registration cancellations will only be accepted in writing, by fax or email 72 hours (three business days) prior to the event. All cancellations received less than 72 hours prior to the event will be subject to the full registration charge. ALL cancellations will be subject to a $20 administrative charge. No shows will be charged the full amount.

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Missouri Association of School Administrators

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District leaders are charged with many important responsibilities including the need to be an effective legislative advocate for your district and the students it serves.

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In may of 2017, a high school student, Brandi Levy, unsuccessfully tried out for the varsity cheerleading squad. Using snapchat, a social media application, she sent a profanity filled message expressing her displeasure and disappointment while off-campus. Her school's administration eventually became aware of the video and suspended her from the junior varsity cheerleading program for a year. Levy successfully sued the school board and then the school board appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court voted in favor of Levy 8-1. They determined that her first amendment rights were more important than the school board's disdain at her profanity filled message (BBC, 2021).

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The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a teenager who was kicked off her school cheerleading squad over a profane social media post.

In an 8-1 ruling, it concluded that the Mahanoy Area School District had violated Brandi Levy's freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

The justices were asked to consider whether public schools had the ability to regulate off-campus speech.

The case affects free speech rights for millions of American school students.

Ms Levy, now an 18-year-old college student, was previously a member of the junior varsity cheerleading squad at Mahanoy Area High School in Pennsylvania.

In May 2017, when she was 14, Ms Levy made a Snapchat post after an unsuccessful try-out for the school's varsity team. She uploaded it while at a convenience store in Mahanoy City.

The post featured a picture of her and a friend raising their middle fingers, with a profanity-laden caption voicing her displeasure at cheerleading, school, softball and "everything." In another post, she questioned another girl's selection to the cheerleading squad.

The post was screenshotted by a friend and shown to another pupil, who was the daughter of one of the cheerleading coaches.

As punishment, Mahanoy Area High School coaches kicked Ms Levy off the cheerleading squad for a year.

She then sued the Mahanoy Area School District, arguing that the decision breached her First Amendment right to free speech. When Ms Levy's case reached the Court of Appeal last year, the court in Philadelphia ruled in her favour, and the school district decided to take its case to the Supreme Court instead.

It argued that staff commonly take action against pupils for speech and actions that happen off-campus, and that this power is important for tackling bullying, racism and harassment that occurs on social media outside of school hours.

But the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Ms Levy and her parents, argued that students needed to be protected from censorship and monitoring.

In its decision, the Supreme Court concluded that Ms Levy's right to freedom of expression, protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, had been violated since the social media posts did not cause substantial disruption at the school.

"The vulgarity in BL's posts encompassed a message, an expression of BL's irritation with, and criticism of, the school and cheerleading communities," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in the majority opinion, using Ms Levy's initials.

"The school's interest in teaching good manners is not sufficient, in this case, to overcome BL's interest in free expression."

But the court added that schools still had a "significant" license to regulate student speech "in some off-campus circumstances". It said it would not categorically define which "school-related off-campus activities" this meant.

Ms Levy said in a statement following the decision: "Young people need to have the ability to express themselves without worrying about being punished when they get to school."

"I never could have imagined that one simple snap would turn into a Supreme Court case, but I'm proud that my family and I advocated for the rights of millions of public school students."

Pupils' right to free speech in public schools is protected by a landmark Supreme Court case from 1969 - Tinker vs Des Moines Independent Community School District - when pupils wore black armbands to protest against the Vietnam War.

The court in that case ruled that pupils' speech was protected as long as it did not cause "material and substantial" disruption to the school.

But, until now, it had not addressed how to handle school-related speech made by students off-campus.

You might also be interested in:

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US cheerleader wins free speech case against her former school

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The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a teenager who was kicked off her school cheerleading squad over a profane social media post. In an 8-1 ruling, it concluded that the Mahanoy Area School District had violated Brandi Levy's freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

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On Constitution Day in 2018, the New York Times collected student statements on free speech and how they view their first amendment rights. Most of the students expressed opinions that their first amendment rights were paramount. However, most of them also distinguished between free speech and hate speech. The general consensus in the collection of opinions is that speech that expresses a will for violence against people is considered hate speech and thus not protected under the first amendment. This collection demonstrates that these students of varying ages can understand nuance and solidifies the fact that their speech is not only protected, but should remain so  (New York Times, 2018).

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Sharon Contreras, the superintendent of Guilford County Schools in High Point, N.C., with Cameron Pryor on the first day of school this year. Research has shown that black children perform significantly better when they have black teachers. Related Article Credit... Laura Greene/The High Point Enterprise, via Associated Press

This week, we saw excellent comments across our site about vegetarianism, how to best discipline children, memories of looking up at the night sky and more. But we chose to highlight the three prompts below because they offer insight into some of the hardest-hitting issues that teenagers are thinking about today.

The comments are analytical, personal and emotional. Best of all, they attempt to understand each subject from multiple viewpoints, not just their own.

We also want to give a special welcome to the conversation this week to classes from Burlington, Vt., Classical High School, Fanin County Middle School and Oxford Middle School.
Please note: All student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear exactly as they were originally submitted.

A protester interrupted a talk by the author Charles Murray at the University of Michigan last year. Credit... Hunter Dyke/The Ann Arbor News, via Associated Press

In honor of Constitution Day on Sept. 17, we partnered with the National Constitution Center to write a special Student Opinion question and related lesson plan on the protections and limits of the First Amendment.

This writing prompt asked students to do quite a bit of work: analyze the First Amendment, read several articles and interpret the Constitution. The responses below show how earnestly and thoroughly teenagers are thinking about freedom of speech.
An essential right
Freedom of speech is one of, if not the most essential first amendment right in the running of a successful democracy. Freedom of speech is what allows for debate and what, along with freedom of the press, allows for the transfer of information, and is also the most powerful right for affecting social and political change.

- Aeddon, Providence

Freedom of speech lies at the core of democracy. It is a right so crucial to freedom and the function of our government that it was the first right listed on our Bill of Rights. Free speech creates an environment for people to freely discuss their ideas and develop them with the input of others. Without it, our country would almost undoubtedly be without the freedom we treasure so much. When a totalitarian ruler is trying to take power, one of the first things they limit is their freedom of speech. This goes to show that freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our entire governmental system.

- Jake Hession, Wilmington, N.C.

Freedom of speech is an important right because a person's voice is sometimes all that person has. To take away a person's thoughts and opinions is to diminish their values and strip their life away.

- Yessenia, Rhode Island
The problem of hate speech
I think that free speech is free speech only if the presentation of opinions is respectful and nonviolent. If opinions are not presented in a respectful manner - such as heckling a speaker because of opposing political views - then it doesn't constitute free speech, because in a way, by disrespecting the speaker, you deny their right to free speech. In the same way, violence to state a point is not free speech, because you are not only denying the free speech of whom the violence is against, but you also possess a mindset that only your opinion is right, and people who disagree should be attacked.

- Ben S., Sunnyvale

Our right to speak is also our right to express ourselves, meaning that it should not be against the law to express your beliefs, whether it be on your clothing or made in a speech. Comments made by the Ku Klux Klan, for example, are made out of hate; hate comments made by hate organizations or any comments that threaten violence should not be interpreted as being acceptable under the First Amendment. However, comments with the intent to criticize are a part of our functioning democracy and are thus under our right to speak our minds.

- Caroline Gracia, Providence, R.I.

Our Supreme Court has ruled that there is "high" and "low" first amendment value to certain speech. I think that making an ambiguous high to low scale rating how much the first amendment applies to speech is wrong. Speaking is speaking, even if it is offensive or misleading. Inciting violence or physical assault on someone, however, is the one type of speech that I consider to be no longer protected under the first amendment. This is only because inciting violence is more similar to assault than it is to speech. It is not sharing ideas or information - it is calling for an attack.

- Aaron Leventhal, Massachusetts
Everyday First Amendment issues
In protecting unpopular speech it shows that others can have differing views on subjects, with those differing views come debates and exchanges of ideas. Many colleges are restricting freedom of speech by not letting controversial speakers talk on their campus. Even if they may carry a controversial opinion, I see it as unconstitutional to not let the person speak there due to their views on certain subjects seen as "controversial." Every type of speech holds the same amount of value, even if they are seen in bad taste.

- kery, Providence

Depending on what platform you speak on is another subject that could be difficult to talk about. Social media can be a public platform but it is owned by a private company that can regulate its own rules. It can silence people so that the image of the company isn't ruined. Everyone can speak so everyone should be allowed to speak but if you decide to shut down a public hearing that's when turns from free speech to aggressive tyranny.

- Robert V, Rhode Island

Zara Gibbon helps a new sixth grader at Animo Westside Charter Middle School in Los Angeles. A majority of teachers in American schools are white women. Credit... Reed Saxon/Associated Press

A significant body of research reveals that students, especially nonwhite students, tend to benefit from having teachers who look like them. In this Student Opinion question, we asked students how these studies compared with their own experiences in school.

While the data did resonate with many commenters, the majority agreed with another premise of the article - that no matter their race or gender, the best teachers are those who care about and believe in their students.
Personality and passion are most important
Although I find this article very interesting and can see why it has merits I believe I resonated with my favorite teachers not because we share race or gender, but because they are passionate about the subject they are teaching and consequently so am I. In my experience the reason I connected with my favorite teachers was because of our personality types, not because of identity factors.

- Mairead, VT

Honestly I do not feel like I learn more or perform better when a teacher shares their race or gender. I really think it all depends on personality, how the class is taught, interest in the class, and how the teacher interacts with the students on a personal level. For me, it is easier for me to learn when I am comfortable in a class and the teacher has a good personality. If I feel like I can not get help from the teacher or the class is boring, I am not going to do well.

- HANNAH, VT

The only factors that contribute to my learning are the teacher's ability to be passionate about the subject they are teaching, or their ability to retell something in different words for people who do not understand. When a teacher is eager to teach a lesson, you can tell how heartfelt they are about the topic. Being passionate increases my interest in what is being taught and sometimes even leaves me thinking about it outside of school. It lightens the mood of the class and relieves some pressure for me, knowing that I will definitely comprehend the lesson by the end of the class.

- Marc Matos-Figueroa, Providence, R.I.
Diversity makes a difference
This article especially resonated with me as a black female student. I believe I am more interested in learning when I can relate to a teacher. It is not absolutely necessary as long as a teacher is able to make all students feel welcome, but it is definitely beneficial to have an adult I feel like I can make a connection with and trust. I've found my black teachers are the ones I most look up to, and inspire me to be resilient.

As a student, I've experienced white teachers that have been ignorant of issues black people face, and have suffered in school because of it. There were times I felt unwelcomed or singled out in the classroom. Teachers are people, and we all have subconscious bias, but as authority figures and role models in the community, they should be trained to recognize their biases in order to create a safer and better learning environment for all students.

- Alysia, Hackensack

When I look back at grade school. I remember math most predominately. I needed some extra help in the subject. It wasn't that I did not like math, I actually loved it. I just had trouble with it sometimes. I always had male math teachers in my early school years and always remember not doing well.

Then I approached high school and it became more substantial I learn it. I had a female teacher and was able to ask her for extra help. I made an extra effort to come in early to do a private lesson with her. I can say I was more comfortable with this and learned much better one on one with her. This was only because I was comfortable for asking her for that extra help.

- Marielle, Burlington

Diversity within the education system may be one of the most important factors in increasing students' understandings of the world. Going through education with only white female teachers is setting up children to involuntarily stereotype white people and women as educators. ... Increasing diversity in student's educational work space is essential to opening up their minds to the regularity of diversity in everyday life and erasing stereotypes from centuries past.

- sophia fox, Providence

It makes sense that students do better when they have teachers they identify with. Although I am not exactly sure why. It may be because they trust the teacher more to accurately educate them. It may be because students see themselves in their teachers. Majority of my teachers have been white and female, however I have had two black male teachers, an Asian teacher, and a Hispanic teacher. I feel that having a diversity of teachers made me more excited to learn.

- Kayla, Providence

A teacher who cares about their students and who is passionate about what they teach is the best kind of teacher. Although as a black female student I do think it is nice to see people who are the same color or gender as me in charge. It shows us that we too can have jobs and teach like them too.

- Madison, Providence, R.I.
_________

Our Picture Prompt " Pieces of a Flag " asked students to interpret this image in light of current events.

Our favorite part about the wide-ranging interpretations is how they interrogate the soul and meaning of the American project. Is ours a society founded on the value of diversity or one being driven apart by our differences?
Embracing our differences
This picture shows the spirit of the American people, as anybody of any race or group can contribute and ultimately create a booming society full of diversity and culture. It shows how special America is. Anybody from anywhere coming from anything can come together to form and develop a society in which we can all prosper.

- kery, Providence

This image to me shows how everyone and anyone who lives in America makes up the country. Regardless of race, sex, gender identity, religion or age we are all one because we get to live in America. And yes America has its flaws and also some people who don't think the same as I do but that's okay because that is what makes up America, having the freedom to think whatever you want even if others don't agree with you.

- Lizbeth, Providence

... I think the image represents how America should have no limitations. Everyone can be American, even if you are a different race, gender, sexuality, age, religion, or any other factor should not make you less of an American than anyone else. Everyone is free to contribute to the American society. Everyone should be welcome to "take a piece" of America. If you live here, no matter what, you are an American just like the rest of us.

- Elise J, Oxford Middle School
A nation divided
Looked at from a different viewpoint, the people are taking something America not building on to it. The country's vast resources are being seized upon. Upon first glance, this illustration looks like a clear cut burst of colorful patriotism. A moment's pause reveals a deeper, darker layer that has more to say about the corruption of a crumbling country.

- Dylan Itkin, Providence, R.I.

I think that the Pieces of a Flag drawing is trying to show us the effects the bad things that are going on in the U.S. Those people are breaking apart our country piece by piece until there is nothing left like a puzzle. They are attacking various states which is why some stars are being removed and some former colonies. And by attacking it doesn't mean using brute force. Things like racism could be attacking the country or political decisions.

- Abdoul, Philadelphia
Two sides of the same coin
This image can be viewed in two ways. The first way, which is the way I saw initially, is people taking the American flag apart. Seeing it like this, it makes me think the illustration is saying how the country is being divided apart due to all the politics and differences in opinion everyone has. On the other hand, you can also view it as people putting the flag together. Seeing it like this, to me, represents how everyone puts their own 'special recipe' into the melting pot of America.

- Sam, Providence, R.I.

When I initially saw this image, it looked to me as though people were uniting to put our flag back together. I began to think of all of the events that have occurred within the past couple of years: mass shootings, political debates, natural disasters, hate-crimes. All of these events have allowed our nation to realize the importance of reuniting our once great country. Some may say that the image depicts people taking apart our flag. While events such as political debates and hate crimes have occurred and caused us to unite, they have also driven us apart. In my opinion, I'd rather look at this image in a positive light and say that it shows our nation's citizens putting America back together again.

- Jasmine Moran, Providence, R.I.

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What Students Are Saying About: Freedom of Speech, Teacher Diversity and the Soul of America (Published 2018)

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Current Events Conversation Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Give this article Give this article Give this article This week, we saw excellent comments across our site about vegetarianism, how to best discipline children, memories of looking up at the night sky and more.

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The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects citizens' rights to free speech, press, and assembly (U.S. Const. amend. I).

However, some speech is not protected by the first amendment. Some examples include (Killion, 2019):

Fighting words

solicitation of crime

true threats

incitement

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In 2015, the Missouri legislature passed a law to reaffirm students' rights to freedom of expression on campus but to also identify collegiate campuses as a place of public forum (Campus Free Expression Act, 2015).

Some requirements include:

Must not be used for commercial purposes

Must not disrupt the institution's function

Must not engage in unlawful activity

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Title XI EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES

Chapter 173

< > Effective - 28 Aug 2015

173.1550.Citation of law - expressive activities protected - outdoor areas deemed traditional public forums, reasonable restrictions - court action authorized, when. - 1. The provisions of this section shall be known and cited as the "Campus Free Expression Act". Expressive activities protected under the provisions of this section include, but are not limited to, all forms of peaceful assembly, protests, speeches, distribution of literature, carrying signs, and circulating petitions.

2. The outdoor areas of campuses of public institutions of higher education in this state shall be deemed traditional public forums. Public institutions of higher education may maintain and enforce reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions in service of a significant institutional interest only when such restrictions employ clear, published, content, and viewpoint-neutral criteria, and provide for ample alternative means of expression. Any such restrictions shall allow for members of the university community to spontaneously and contemporaneously assemble.

3. Any person who wishes to engage in noncommercial expressive activity on campus shall be permitted to do so freely, as long as the person's conduct is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the institution subject to the requirements of subsection 2 of this section.

4. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as limiting the right of student expression elsewhere on campus.

5. The following persons may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any violation of this section or to recover compensatory damages, reasonable court costs, and attorney fees:

(1) The attorney general;

(2) Persons whose expressive rights were violated through the violation of this section.

6. In an action brought under subsection 5 of this section, if the court finds a violation, the court shall award the aggrieved persons no less than five hundred dollars for the initial violation, plus fifty dollars for each day the violation remains ongoing.

7. A person shall be required to bring suit for violation of this section not later than one year after the day the cause of action accrues. For purposes of calculating the one-year limitation period, each day that the violation persists, and each day that a policy in violation of this section remains in effect, shall constitute a new violation of this section and, therefore, a new day that the cause of action has accrued.

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Title XI EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES Chapter 173 Effective - 28 Aug 2015 173.1550.Citation of law - expressive activities protected - outdoor areas deemed traditional public forums, reasonable restrictions - court action authorized, when. - 1. The provisions of this section shall be known and cited as the "Campus Free Expression Act".

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Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District

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Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District

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In 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on whether or not students on campus retained their first amendment rights. The Supreme Court ruled, in a 7-2 decision, that students did in fact retain their Constitutional rights while attending school on campus (Tinker v. Des Moines, 1969).

To be protected the speech must not:

cause significant disruption

be unprotected speech

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Constitutional rights, freedom of inquiry, and Federal statutes and regulations on nondiscrimination.

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Constitutional rights, freedom of inquiry, and Federal statutes and regulations on nondiscrimination.

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Educational institutions that receive federal grants, whether private or public, must protect the constitutional rights of their students (34 CFR § 75.500).

Requirements:

Must protect outlined categories

Must alert the U.S. Department of Education to court rulings when accused in court of not protecting outlined categories

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The Office of the Federal Register publishes documents on behalf of Federal agencies but does not have any authority over their programs. We recommend you directly contact the agency responsible for the content in question.

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East Newton's Student Handbook outlines what type of speech will be punished and how the school will discipline the student. It also states that the school will not infringe protected speech (East Newton Grades K-8 Student Handbook, 2021).

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The Missouri Association of School Administrators organization ethics code demands that members follow all federal, state, and local laws. It also demands that members make their students' well-being and education their top priority (Code of Ethics for Administrators, 2009). This is relevant to the topic because both state and federal legislation has protected students' freedom of speech. Furthermore, it is imperative that administrators not admonish their students for their protected speech and instead encourage them to use their right to it. Doing so will develop students' critical thinking, debate skills, as well as debate decorum.

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CODE OF ETHICS FOR ADMINISTRATORS

A school administrator's professional behavior must conform to an ethical code. The code must be idealistic and at the same time practical, so that it can apply reasonably to all educational administrators. The school administrator acknowledges that the schools belong to the public they serve for the purpose of providing educational opportunities to all. However, the school administrator assumes responsibility for providing professional leadership in the school and community. This responsibility requires the school administrator to maintain standards of exemplary professional conduct. It must be recognized that the school administrator's actions will be viewed and appraised by the community, professional associates, and students. To these ends, the school administrator subscribes to the following statements of standards.

The school administrator:

1. Makes the education and wellbeing of students the fundamental value in all decision making and actions.

2. Fulfills professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity.

3. Supports the principle of due process and protects the civil and human rights of all individuals.

4. Obeys local, state, and national laws.

5. Implements the governing board of education's policies and administrative rules and regulations.

Pursues appropriate measures to correct those laws, policies, and regulations that are not consistent with sound educational goals.

Avoids using positions for personal gain through political, social, religious, economic, or other influence.

Accepts academic degrees or professional certification only from duly accredited institutions.

Maintains the standards and seeks to improve the effectiveness of the profession through research and continuing professional development.

Honors all contracts until fulfillment, release, or dissolution mutually agreed upon by all parties to contract.
Approved by the MoASSP Board of Directors, June 18, 2009

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Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals - Code of Ethics

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A school administrator's professional behavior must conform to an ethical code. The code must be idealistic and at the same time practical, so that it can apply reasonably to all educational administrators. The school administrator acknowledges that the schools belong to the public they serve for the purpose of providing educational opportunities to all.

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Basi, M., & Clendennen, A. (2017, November 13). FROM BLACK ARMBANDS TO RED BALL CAPS: NAVIGATING STUDENT SPEECH IN POLITICALLY CHARGED TIMES. Missouri Association of School Administrators.

BBC. (2021, June 23). US cheerleader wins free speech case against her former school. BBC News. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57570470.

Campus Free Expression Act, Mo. Rev. Stat. § 173.155 (2015).

CODE OF ETHICS FOR ADMINISTRATORS. Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals - Code of Ethics. (2009, June 18). Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://moassp.org/Code_of_Ethics#:~:text=The%20school%20administrator%3A,human%20rights%20of%20all%20individuals.

Constitutional rights, freedom of inquiry, and Federal statutes and regulations on nondiscrimination, 34 CFR § 75.500.

East Newton R-VI. (2021). Student Handbook, Classroom Disruptive Conduct/Speech, §8. Retrieved from https://p19cdn4static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_844207/File/Students/Handbook/K-8%20Student%20Handbook%20-%202021-2022.pdf

Killion, V. L. (2019, January 16). The First Amendment: Categories of Speech. Congressional Research Service.

The New York Times. (2018, September 20). What students are saying about: Freedom of speech, teacher diversity and the soul of america. The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-freedom-of-speech-teacher-diversity-and-the-soul-of-america.html.

Tinker v. Des Moines, 393 US 503 (1969).

U.S. Const. amend. I.

Yurcaba, J. (2021, September 10). Missouri teacher resigns after school tells him to remove Pride Flag. NBCNews.com. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/missouri-teacher-resigns-school-tells-remove-pride-flag-rcna1959.

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Researching for this project gave me a much greater understanding of the nuance that surrounds students' freedom of speech. It is important to note that courts typically rule on the side of the students' constitutional rights. However, they have placed slightly more requirements for it being protected speech. Specifically they have placed emphasis on that the speech shall not disrupt their educational institution's function.

I feel that these rights helped me develop through my educational journey. I have always been strongly opinionated on political matters and more specifically foreign policy. Throughout my time in primary and secondary schools I would seek to have conversations on those topics. My teachers and administrators never sought to stop me from making statements or arguments. They did however help me be more understanding of opposing views and teach me on how to better deliver arguments. They also stressed the importance of remaining tactful.

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Be familiar with state and local laws regarding students freedom of expression

Remain familiar with school board policy

Gauge carefully whether or not the speech is disruptive to school functions

When presented with unruly but protected speech try to de-escalate the situation without outright preventing the speech

Find peace with having students who disagree with you on sensitive subjects

Provide constructive forums, such as a speech and debate class, for opinionated students to develop their speech skills and decorum