Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District
393 U.S.503 (1969)
                    by                                 
Tram Nguyen            

15-year old John F.Tinker and 16-year-old Christopher Eckhardt were high school students in Des Moines, Iowa. John’s sister, Mary Beth Tinker, 13 years old attended junior high school. In December 1965, a group of adults and students met in Eckhardt’s house to discuss a way to express their disapproval of US involvement in Vietnam and their support for a truce. They decided that they would object by wearing black armbands. Previously, these people had participated in similar activities.

The school officials of Des Moines knew about this plan. They met on December 14th, 1965, to decide on a new rule that required any student wearing armbands to remove them. Any student who refused to follow would be suspended until he agreed to go along with the rule. The groups of people engaged in wearing armbands were aware of this policy, but still carried out the plan. On December 16th and 17th, Mary Beth, John Tinker and Christopher went to school wearing black armbands. All three were suspended from school until they would return without armbands. However, they did not return until the period of wearing armbands in the plan expired, which was after New Year’s Day.

Tinker’s father asked the district court to bring more control over the school authorities, restraining rules and suspensions. The court, however, upheld the school’s decision and claimed the prohibition came from their desire to prevent disturbance of school operation. The case was brought to the court of appeals, which decided to concur with the district court’s decision.
            
The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the district court and court of appeals. The school officials could not show any valid evidence showing that the engagement in wearing armbands hindered the operation of school system. The prohibition of black armbands was unconstitutional. The case was reversed since the act of prohibiting black armbands violated the appellants’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.