In Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), what did the Supreme Court decide about wearing black armbands in school?

• A. It is banned because schools can prohibit symbolic speech
• B. It is allowed only if it does not disrupt class
• C. It is allowed if parental consent is given
• D. It is allowed

Answer: (D)

The main concept being tested is that students retain First Amendment rights in school, and symbolic speech is protected unless it would cause substantial disruption. In Tinker v. Des Moines, the Supreme Court ruled that wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War is protected speech because there was no evidence it would cause substantial disruption to the school’s operations. The Court emphasized that disagreement about political issues isn’t enough to silence student expression, and schools may not ban such peaceful, non-disruptive symbolic acts. Therefore, in this context, the armbands are allowed. The other ideas aren’t correct because the decision does not allow schools to ban symbolic speech outright, and it doesn’t hinge on parental consent. The key takeaway is that protected speech exists for students unless it would cause substantial disruption.