Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969)

Free Speech Out Loud
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969)

Tinker v. Des Moines' majority is read by Mary Beth Tinker, one of the students at the center of this case. The concurrences and dissents are read by Emma Camp, a rising senior at the University of Virginia.

Legal Question: Whether the wearing of armbands by public school students as a form of symbolic speech is protected by the First Amendment.

Action: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students' right to wear the armbands, overruling the Eighth Circuit.

Mr. Justice Fortas delivered the opinion of the Court, at 00:58

Mr. Justice Stewart, concurring, at 26:49

Mr. Justice White, concurring, at 27:38

Mr. Justice Black, dissenting, at 28:10

Mr. Justice Harlan, dissenting, at 47:42

This opinion's citations have been edited down for ease of listening. For more information, visit our explanation.

For more on Tinker, visit FIRE's First Amendment Library.

For more episodes, visit thefire.org/outloud.

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