Under the Law

Abstract

Legal rules regarding what students can say and express at school has evolved. There are some general guidelines from the most recent cases for dealing with potentially offensive student speech that include these guideposts: If the school has a content neutral dress code, the dress code can be enforced; if one can make a reasonable showing that the speech would be disruptive, it can be banned; if student speech is clearly lewd and without social or political expression, it can be banned; if the speech contains sexual innuendo or is ambiguously lewd and contains social or political expression, it can be banned; if it would be disruptive, or if the speech advocates violence or student use of drugs, it can be banned.