Florida High School v. Rainbows

February 24 marks the 40th anniversary of the Tinker decision, a landmark Supreme Court case affirming students First Amendment rights to free speech in public schools. In honor of this anniversary, the ACLU has released a short video about a Florida high school that banned students from wearing clothing supporting equal rights for gay people.

The principal at Ponce De Leon High School censored Heather Gillman and other students after they began wearing clothing with rainbows and other symbols of support for gay equality in response to anti-gay harassment at the school. After a trial, a federal judge ruled in Heather's favor, finding that the school violated Heather's First Amendment rights.

Heather and countless other courageous students have followed in the footsteps of Mary Beth Tinker, her brother John, and their friend Christopher Eckhardt, who were suspended from Des Moines public schools in 1965 for wearing black armbands in protest of the Vietnam War. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, the students filed a lawsuit, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, which was eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a landmark decision on February 24, 1969, the Court ruled in favor of the students, holding that students don't lose their constitutional rights at the classroom door. The Tinker precedent is still used to determine whether a school's disciplinary actions violate students' First Amendment rights.

Edited for the ACLU by Anna Mumford.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• freedom of speech
• Tinker
• Gillman
• gay rights
• gsa
• student free speech
• lgbt youth
• ACLU

[BloodrosePrincess]

Seems like the school doesn't have a problem with the confederate flag or anyone that wants to use the flag to symbolize White Supremacy but GLBT Pride is a no-no. I'm glad that I didn't have to go to a school like that but other kids will have to deal with bigots like that. Schools should be safe for everybody and not just heterosexual Christians only.

[sorienor]

You are perfectly in your right to pray where ever you want. But you are NOT in your right to have any school official lead a particular religion's prayer.

Obviously you wouldn't have any problem with Islaimc or Hindu prayers being done at football games, now would you?

[WildlifeSeriaLKiller]

This principal ROCKS!!! Should be more like him.... Pussy ass liberals... FUCK YOU FAGGOTS!

[ksgfoboe13]

So students can wear a symbol of oppression and not one of pride? That's a double standard...

I'm glad there are people like Heather who refuse to put up with others' intolerance.

[johnny4727]

i went to this school and had that man as a history teacher. His views on history are as skewed as his views on equal rights and freedom of speech.

[iballie]

I live in Northwest florida, and believe me this is not suprising.

[eyeballearball]

It's funny the court hasn't ruled in favor of praying at a foot ball games yet. Infact the ACUL stood up against us. Do you think Heather would come speak up for us Christians?