Schools and the Law: First Amendment US Supreme Court Decisions That School Board Members Should Know (Posted May 7, 2024)
Summary: Public school board members should be familiar with landmark Supreme Court decisions that could shape how they resolve conflicts and set school district policies. Students generally enjoy more First Amendment rights than teachers do. Settings and circumstances dictate when and where teachers are at liberty to indulge in free expression, but when it comes to the classroom, school boards set the curriculum, and teachers must follow it. Legal disputes arising from topics like racial discrimination and parental rights will test school districts’ authority to regulate speech until the Supreme Court weighs in to clarify the limits of free speech in public schools on these topics.
