Supreme Court Cases: Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier Study Guide

In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier that a high school principal could remove two articles from a student newspaper without violating the First Amendment rights of the student journalists. This case has had a significant impact on the freedom of speech rights of students in public schools.

Study Guide for U.S. Supreme Court's Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (Course Hero Study Guides)

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Facts of the Case

The Hazelwood School District is located in Hazelwood, Missouri. In 1983, the principal of Hazelwood East High School, Robert Reynolds, removed two articles from the school newspaper, The Spectrum. The first article, "Student Pregnancy," discussed the issue of teenage pregnancy and included interviews with several pregnant students. The second article, "Principal's Aide Hired," discussed the hiring of a new principal's aide and included a photograph of the aide.

Reynolds removed the articles from The Spectrum because he believed that they were not suitable for publication in a school newspaper. He argued that the first article was "inappropriate" because it discussed a topic that was not appropriate for high school students. He also argued that the second article was "inappropriate" because it included a photograph of the aide without his permission.

The student journalists who wrote the articles sued the school district, arguing that their First Amendment rights had been violated. The case eventually made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Ruling

In a 5-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the school district did not violate the First Amendment rights of the student journalists. The Court held that the school district had a legitimate educational interest in regulating the content of the school newspaper. The Court also held that the school district's removal of the articles was not motivated by a desire to suppress political or ideological speech.

The Court's decision has had a significant impact on the freedom of speech rights of students in public schools. The decision has been cited by schools and courts to justify the removal of student speech that is considered to be disruptive, offensive, or inappropriate.

Dissenting Opinions

Three justices dissented from the Court's decision. Justice William Brennan wrote a dissenting opinion in which he argued that the school district had violated the First Amendment rights of the student journalists. Brennan argued that the school district's removal of the articles was motivated by a desire to suppress political or ideological speech.

Justice Thurgood Marshall also wrote a dissenting opinion. Marshall argued that the school district's removal of the articles was a violation of the First Amendment because it was based on the content of the speech. Marshall argued that the school district could not remove speech simply because it disagreed with the views expressed in the speech.

Impact of the Decision

The Supreme Court's decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier has had a significant impact on the freedom of speech rights of students in public schools. The decision has been cited by schools and courts to justify the removal of student speech that is considered to be disruptive, offensive, or inappropriate. The decision has also been used to justify the creation of prior review policies, which allow school officials to review student speech before it is published.

The Hazelwood decision has been controversial since it was issued. Some people argue that the decision has had a chilling effect on student speech. Others argue that the decision is necessary to protect students from exposure to harmful or inappropriate speech.

The Hazelwood decision is a complex and controversial case that has had a significant impact on the freedom of speech rights of students in public schools. The decision is still being debated today, and it is likely to continue to be debated for years to come.

Study Guide for U.S. Supreme Court's Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (Course Hero Study Guides)

by Course Hero

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	892 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	24 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE