Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20-255_g3bi.pdf
Page Number: 6.0

Cite as:  594 U. S. ____ (2021) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

coaches  decided  that  because  the  posts  used  profanity  in 
connection with a school extracurricular activity, they vio-
lated team and school rules.  As a result, the coaches sus-
pended B. L. from the junior varsity cheerleading squad for 
the  upcoming  year.  B.  L.’s  subsequent  apologies  did  not
move school officials.  The school’s athletic director, princi-
pal, superintendent, and school board, all affirmed B. L.’s
suspension from the team.  In response, B. L., together with
her parents, filed this lawsuit in Federal District Court. 

B 
The District Court found in B. L.’s favor.  It first granted
a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction 
ordering  the  school  to  reinstate  B.  L.  to  the  cheerleading 
team.  In granting B. L.’s subsequent motion for summary 
judgment, the District Court found that B. L.’s Snapchats
had  not  caused  substantial  disruption  at  the  school.    Cf. 
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 
393 U. S. 503 (1969).  Consequently, the District Court de-
clared  that  B.  L.’s  punishment  violated  the  First  Amend-
ment, and it awarded B. L. nominal damages and attorneys’ 
fees and ordered the school to expunge her disciplinary rec-
ord. 

On appeal, a panel of the Third Circuit affirmed the Dis-
trict Court’s conclusion.  See 964 F. 3d 170, 194 (2020).  In 
so doing, the majority noted that this Court had previously 
held in Tinker that a public high school could not constitu-
tionally prohibit a peaceful student political demonstration 
consisting of “ ‘pure speech’ ” on school property during the
school day.  393 U. S., at 505–506, 514.  In reaching its con-
clusion in Tinker, this Court emphasized that there was no
evidence the student protest would “substantially interfere
with the work of the school or impinge upon the rights of
other students.”  Id., at 509.  But the Court also said that: 
“[C]onduct by [a] student, in class or out of it, which for any