Florida Civics Literacy (FCLE) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The pair of cases that significantly impacted First Amendment rights are Texas v. Johnson and Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier.

In Texas v. Johnson (1989), the Supreme Court held that burning the American flag is a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment. This case reinforced the principle that free speech can include expressive conduct, even if that conduct is controversial or offensive to many people. By affirming the right to burn the flag as a legitimate expression of dissent, the ruling underscored the importance of protecting unpopular speech under the First Amendment.

In Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988), the Court addressed the issue of student free speech rights within a school context. The ruling allowed school officials to exert greater control over school-sponsored publications and determined that schools could limit speech that was inconsistent with their educational mission. While this decision allowed for certain restrictions on student expression, it also clarified the balance between free speech and the authority of schools to manage their environments.

Together, these cases demonstrate how the interpretation of the First Amendment can evolve, highlighting both the protection of individual expression and the limitations that may exist in specific contexts, such as schools.