Lecture Notes: Mahanoy Area School District v. BL

Introduction

• Lecture on a significant Supreme Court case involving the First Amendment and public schools.
• Case: Mahanoy Area School District v. BL.
• BL is a minor, identity anonymized.
• Similar to prior cases like New Jersey v. TLO and Morse v. Frederick.

Background of the Case

• Occurred in 2017 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.
• BL, a high school freshman, tried out for varsity cheerleading squad unsuccessfully.
• Upset, BL made a Snapchat post using profane language against:
  • Her school
  • Softball team
  • Cheerleading squad
  • General frustration
• Snapchat sent to 250 friends; screenshot shared with school authorities.
• BL was kicked off the cheerleading squad for the year.

Legal Actions

• BL and her family sued the school district, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated.
• Argument: Activity was off-campus and on a personal device.
• Initial loss in federal district court.
• Case appealed to Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.

Court Decisions

• Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of BL, stating her rights were violated.
• School district appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Significance of the Case

• Potential landmark case for First Amendment rights in public schools.
• Impact on students and schools nationwide, principle of stare decisis.

Instructor's Activity

• Survey via Google Form for students:
  • Who do you want to win?
  • Who do you think will win?
• Results to be shared post Supreme Court decision.

Additional Resources

• Links to:
  • Previous case Morse v. Frederick.
  • Instructor's website with summaries of landmark Supreme Court cases.
  • Encouragement to research the case online.

Closing

• Excitement about the case's potential impact.
• Encouragement to stay informed and engaged with current events.
• Wishing students a safe and productive remainder of the semester.