LABELLE -- On Jan. 24, Labelle High School English II students had a rare and unique opportunity to learn and ask questions of Mary Beth Tinker of the Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). This is listed as one of America’s most important Supreme Court decisions in history.

The case involved a group of students in Des Moines who planned to wear black armbands during the 1965 holiday season to show their support of a truce in the Vietnam War. On Dec. 14, 1965, school officials created a policy that any student who wore an armband would be asked to remove it, and if the student refused, that student would be suspended. On Dec. 16, 1965, Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhart wore armbands to school and were sent home. The following day, John Tinker wore an armband and was also sent home. Through their parents, the students sued the school district for violating the students’ right of expression and sought an injunction to prevent the school district from disciplining the students. In a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court held that the armbands represented pure speech that is entirely separate from the actions or conduct of those participating in it. The Court also held that the students did not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech when they stepped onto school property. [Photos courtesy LHS]