Meg Mott
After twenty years of teaching political theory and constitutional law to Marlboro College undergraduates, Meg Mott has taken her love of argument to the general public.
In 1969, the Supreme Court affirmed the rights of students to express their political opinions during school. The Tinker decision declared that students and teachers do not “shed their constitutional rights” at the “schoolhouse gate.” In 2024, the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Massachusetts school could ban a t-shirt that expressed a political opinion on gender identity. Do students still have the right to free speech?
This presentation considers the arguments used in Tinker for and against a student’s right to free speech. Not all the justices agreed with the Court’s ruling. We’ll then turn to the First Circuit’s ruling with an eye to school policy. If a t-shirt that says “There are only two genders” is allowed to be banned, can a school allow a shirt that says “All Christians are bigots”? Finally, we’ll consider what students need to know to responsibly use their right to free speech.
Available in Correctional Facilities and as a school Workshop. If you are planning this as a school program, Please Contact Jacob Pelletier at jpelletier@vermonthumanities.org.
Additional Costs
Mileage
Special Arrangements
Projector with connector for Mac laptop
Booking a talk
First, contact the speaker by clicking on their biography below to confirm their availability and discuss any special arrangements.
Then, click this “Book this Talk!” button to send a request form to Vermont Humanities. We’ll respond within one week.
Questions?
Contact Jacob Pelletier at jpelletier@vermonthumanities.org.
