The Supreme Court case Tinker vs. Des Moines School District dealt with the students' right to free speech in public schools.
Mary Beth Tinker and some of her friends decided to wear black armbands to school as a sign of protest against the Vietnam War.
The school board did not tolerate her behavior and asked her to remove the band. The students filed a First Amendment lawsuit, stating their right to free speech.
The Court granted them the right, stating that it does not finish at the school gate. School officials could not censor students speech unless it disturbed the educational process. Wearing a black armband was not disruptive in their opinion.
Iowa students organized a silent protest against the Vietnam War. Students planned to wear black armbands to school to protest the fighting but the principal found out and told the students they would be suspended if they wore the armbands.
