The Supreme Court’s decision in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
For this assignment, you will study the Supreme Court’s decision in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier and construct an argument evaluating the Court’s decision. To do this, you will complete the following steps:
- Reflect: Read the summary of the case and the excerpts from the Court’s opinions to understand the justices’ reasoning and arguments. Answer the questions, considering the arguments for and against limits on students’ free speech.
- Write: Write a one-paragraph response that supports either the majority opinion or the dissenting opinion in the case.
To get the best grade possible, follow the instructions in the assignment closely and answer all of the questions completely. This assignment is worth 20 points.
Read the summary of Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. Then, read the excerpts from Justice White’s majority opinion and Justice Brennan’s dissenting opinion. When you are done, answer the following questions. This section is worth 10 points.
1. In the Tinker v. Des Moines and Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier cases, how did the students’ form of expression differ? Which topics were their acts of expression related to in each case? (2 points)
2. How were the results of the Tinker and Hazelwood cases different? (2 points)
3. What were Justice White’s main reasons for ruling in favor of the school district in Hazelwood? (2 points)
4. Identify two reasons Justice Brennan gave for dissenting in this decision. (2 points)
5. Why do you think Justice Brennan felt the Court’s decision taught students the wrong lesson? (2 points)
You will now write a one-paragraph response of at least five sentences that takes a position on an opinion in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. You may choose to support the majority opinion or Justice Brennan’s dissenting opinion. You should support your argument with reasons provided in the opinions, although you may also give reasons of your own. Your response should also briefly describe the decision in the case. This section is worth 10 points.