Top 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen should know

In Tinker vs Des Moines, the supreme court ruled that...

• Students could express themselves as long as that expression does not disrupt the education of others.

• Students could express themselves as long as it does not violate the traditional values of the school community.

In the New Jersey v T.L.O. case, the Supreme Court ruled that school official can search a student's stuff:

• Only if two or more people provide evidence of wrongdoing to the principal(s)

• Only if there is a suspicion of wrong doing or an entire group of students is being searched

The Supreme Court ruled in the Ingraham v Wright case that

• The federal government has complete control over corporal punishment (spanking, paddling etc.) in schools.

• Corporal punishment (spanking, paddling, etc.) for students is decided by the states

In the Santa Fe v Jane Doe case, the Supreme Court reconfirmed the “Establishment Clause” (the government can't prefer one religion or establish a religion in govt buildings, events, etc.) of the 1st Amendment and stated that

• The school could allow the “student chaplain” to use the public address system at the football field to lead the crowd in a prayer prior to the football games.

• The public address system could not be utilized for any type of prayers or religious activities at school sponsored events.

In Kent v The United States, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles could be tried as adults. However, courts need to take in consideration...

• Juvenile's name, address and ethnic background

• Juvenile's age, current charges, mental state and previous criminal record if any

In Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier, the Supreme Court ruled that:

• Schools can censor sensitive or inappropriate themes, materials, images or ideas in student publications and performances as long as it was for legitimate educational purposes

• A school’s authority does not extend to off-campus drama department productions such as plays or student newspaper publications

In Vernonia v Acton, the Supreme Court said that

• Drug testing of school athletes is an invasion of privacy and illegal unless school officials obtain a warrant

• Random drug testing and suspicion-based, entire group drug testing is allowed to make sure student athletes are not violating a school's drug policies

In West Side Community v Mergens, the Supreme Court ruled that students:

• could NOT use public school classrooms for after school religious and political clubs and activities

• could use public school classrooms for after school religious and political clubs and activities as long as the school allowed other student-interest clubs to meet also

In DeShaney v Winnebago, the Supreme Court ruled that:

• Children do not have any constitutional protection from their parent's style of raising and disciplining them

• State constitutions have a higher authority than the federal constitution

In Grutter v Bollinger, the Supreme Court upheld that...

• When admitting students to college, race can be used as a factor.

• Colleges and universities have no legal reason to create a policy that tries to bring ethnic and racial diversity to their campuses.