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In a world where teens and social media are inseparable, the unexpected can happen. Many parents worry about the challenges posed by platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, but few anticipate that their child’s social media posts could escalate to the highest court in the land. Yet, that’s precisely what unfolded with the Johnson family.
The controversy began when 14-year-old Mia Johnson shared a Snapchat post with her 250 friends after failing to make the varsity cheerleading team at Mahanoy Area High School. Frustrated, she vented her feelings with a caption that read, “Forget school, forget sports, forget cheer, forget everything,” alongside a photo of her and a friend giving the middle finger.
Like all Snapchats, her post vanished after 24 hours, leading Mia to assume it was over. However, someone had taken a screenshot, and her outburst reached the coach’s daughter. Following complaints from some cheerleaders, the coaches suspended Mia from the cheer team for the year. Disagreeing with this punishment, Mia’s parents sought assistance from the ACLU, leading to a legal battle that ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justin Smith, a law professor at Yale and author of “The Schoolhouse Gate,” has referred to this case as “the most significant case” concerning student speech in over five decades. This is no exaggeration; the stakes are indeed high.
The last major case regarding student free speech was Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, which dealt with students protesting the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands. The Supreme Court ruled that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” However, Tinker also noted that students’ rights can be limited if their actions cause, or are likely to cause, a “material and substantial” disruption to school operations.
When you first hear about Mia’s situation, it might seem straightforward. However, the complexities run deep. Although Mia was miles away from school when she made her Snapchat post, she was still bound by a code of conduct that required “respect” and prohibited “negative information” while on the cheer team. The school district argued that it’s not the role of federal courts to micromanage school decisions regarding team conduct.
The case also highlights the gray areas of digital communication. The school district contended that guidelines on speech are necessary to prevent bullying and other harmful behaviors. The Biden administration, which supports the school’s position, emphasized that laws in D.C. and at least 25 states mandate schools to address off-campus harassment that disrupts the school environment.
On the other side, supporters of Mia argue that her case is not about bullying but about the extent of school authority. The Pennsylvania ACLU’s head, Tom Baker, asserted that schools should address cyberbullying but that the power the school is claiming is excessive. Mia’s father, Rick Johnson, believes the school overstepped its bounds with their punishment.
Adding to the case’s intrigue, it has garnered support from a coalition of nine Republican state attorneys general, along with numerous organizations and individuals backing Mia’s lawsuit. The implications of this case on students’ free speech rights, both on and off school grounds, are profound. Given the current Supreme Court’s tendencies and Chief Justice Roberts’ inclination towards a broad interpretation of the First Amendment, Mia might have a favorable outcome. Yet, the case revolves around an extracurricular activity, leading to questions of whether it involves government overreach or simply facing consequences for one’s actions.
Regardless of the Court’s decision, this situation serves as a critical learning opportunity for teens, emphasizing that freedom of speech does not equate to freedom from consequences. In the digital age, privacy is an illusion, and a simple screenshot can have lasting repercussions.
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In summary, the case of Mia Johnson has significant implications for student speech rights and the role of schools in regulating off-campus conduct. With the Supreme Court’s ruling pending, the outcomes could reshape the landscape of student expression in the digital age.