In the last few years, libraries have become an active front in America’s culture war, with states passing laws that impose restrictions on what materials school or public libraries can carry.
The Supreme Court has provided a general outline of the First Amendment rights of high school students, although some states have passed laws to provide additional protection for free speech in schools.
Lawmakers across the country are advancing legislation intended to protect minors from harms allegedly caused by social media use, but the First Amendment prohibits the government from swinging an ax when a scalpel might suffice.
High school debate is being captured by political ideology, rendering certain arguments off-limits, some debate topics undebatable, and ad hominem attacks fair game.
High schools cannot punish a student for satirizing the principal on social media when the satire occurs off campus and does not cause substantial disruption at school. A principal’s pride is not an exception to the First Amendment.
Tri County Area Schools does not like when students exercise their First Amendment rights. In 2022, two students at Tri County Middle School wore sweatshirts to school with the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” a well-known, non-profane, anti-President Biden political slogan. But school officials ordered the students to remove their political attire while allowing other students to wear apparel with different political messages, including gay-pride-themed hoodies.
Open to juniors and seniors in U.S. high schools, including home-schooled students, as well as U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. Additional questions regarding eligibility may be emailed to essaycontest@thefire.org.
