WGN’s Karen Conti interviews Daliah Saper About A Supreme Court Case Involving Students’ First Amendment Rights

On May 2nd, 2021, Daliah Saper appeared on WGN Radio to discuss a recent Supreme Court case involving a former high school cheerleader who was disciplined over a foul-mouthed social media post. The case could impact the free speech rights of over 50 million public school students, and is expected to be ruled on by the end of June.

“F— school, f— softball, f— cheer, f— everything”

The case is currently pending and has been called the most momentous first amendment case to reach the high courts since Tinker v. De Moines in 1968. The issue at hand is whether a public school has the right to restrict and punish a student’s speech on social media after school hours or off school grounds. 

Daliah explained that the current Supreme Court precedent, established in Tinker v. Des Moines, states that a public school can only regulate speech that is disruptive to the school or inhibits a teacher’s ability to educate. Generally speaking, students do not lose their first amendment rights when they enter school property.

To listen to the full interview, click here.