Justices Question Whether Student’s Snapchat Rant Caused a Substantial Disruption

In oral arguments on April 28th in a case involving a former high school student kicked off her cheerleading squad for a profane social media post, the Court explored whether school officials could discipline the student under the Supreme Court’s decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969).    

Supreme Court to Decide Important Student (K-12) Social Media Case

The Supreme Court will clarify how far the arm of school authority extends—if at all—to student social media expression created off-campus.  The case, Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., involves a message posted on Snapchat by student "B.L." on a Saturday afternoon off-campus after she learned she failed to advance from the junior varsity to the varsity cheerleading squad.

Virginia Repeals Outdated Ban on “Profane Swearing”

The Virginia code dates back to George Washington’s 1776 “Order Against Profanity” which was used to keep soldiers from engaging in “the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing.”