Ronald Reagan, the nation's 40th president, supported a free and independent press, but thought the Supreme Court got it wrong on school prayer.| The Free Speech Center
Discover how censorship challenges the rights of free speech and press, as upheld by the First Amendment in vital court cases.| The Free Speech Center
Justice Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court. He consistently championed First Amendment and other individual rights.| The Free Speech Center
Public school students enjoy First Amendment protection based on the type of expression and their age. Students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.| The Free Speech Center
In Morse v. Frederick, the Supreme Court ruled it is not a denial of First Amendment rights for school officials to censor student speech they believe encourages illegal drug use.| The Free Speech Center
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) decided that schools may limit student First Amendment rights if student speech is inconsistent with an educational mission.| The Free Speech Center
Burnside v. Byars (5th Cir. 1966) protected students’ First Amendment rights on school grounds. The decision served as a key precedent for Tinker v. Des Moines (1969).| The Free Speech Center
In Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser (1986), an important First Amendment precedent, the Supreme Court said public school officials can prohibit offensive student speech.| The Free Speech Center
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Lafayette Black is considered to be one of the most influential justices of his time. On First Amendment issues, Black was considered an absolutist.| The Free Speech Center
Prayer in school has been a divisive and muddy issue over the years. Here’s what is – and isn’t – protected by the First Amendment.| Freedom Forum