Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

In 1988 three girls, Cathy Kuhlmeier, Leslie Smart, and Leanne Tippett, wrote articles in a school newspaper about divorce and teen pregnancy. The principal wouldn't let the articles be published because they were too sensitive for the younger students. The girls went to court claiming that their First Amendment right for freedom of speech had been violated.

 

The Supreme Court ruled against the girls. They said that a school newspaper isn't a public form in which anyone can voice an opinion. The court said "Educators do not offend the First Amendment by exercising editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school." So, as long as their actions are legitimate education concerns, its they're allowed to censor it.

Schools are allowed to censor newspapers and restrict or forms of student expression, including theatrical productions, yearbooks, creative writing assignments, and graduation speeches.

Today, this affects schools by having them have rules on what you are allowed to say/write. For example, usually students aren't allowed to use profanity, and graduation speeches usually have to be looked over before they are actually said at graduation.