Tinker vs. Des Moines

The case of Tinker v. Des Moines dealt with the right of the First Amendment. In this case, a few select high school students wore black armbands to school as to honor fallen soldiers in Vietnam- knowing that the wearing of these armbands was a direct violation of school rules. The court ruled against the students, and when the student’s requested the termination of the rule, the court again sided with the school, leaving the rule in place.

Although the court made the right legal decision, morally we feel it was the wrong one. The court should have shown more compassion to the students for their cause, and possibly even penalized the school for their choice. Its interesting that the student’s wearing the armbands is very similar to the yellow ribbons tied around trees today for fallen soldiers in Iraq, and you have to ask yourself if they would make the same decision today about the matter.

The principal acted in haste because the war was controversial as is this war in Iraq. Still, he should have allowed the students to show respect because the soldiers did not declare war; they were just carrying out their orders. This issue was not simply black and white, and the court should have realized that and ruled against the school.