ABOUT COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: Community Connections is a lesson collection designed for adult learners and community colleges, with the goal of inspiring student civic action. This might be respectful debate or conversation about a local issue, planning a community event, or a creative project that helps connect local, national and global issues.
To use this lesson: First, watch the video and answer the questions below as a warm up. Next, choose one or more of the activities under "Take Action" that best fits your classroom. Or, use the segment above to inspire your own original classroom activities — the spirit of these lessons is to connect current events to actions that make your community a better place for everyone!
SUMMARY
Fourteen-year-old high school freshman Brandi Levy had just failed to make the varsity cheerleading squad and to get the softball team position she wanted when she angrily posted a Snapchat story with many uses of the F-word. As a result, her school officials kicked her off the junior varsity cheerleading team. Levy’s father ended up suing the school district, and a judge ordered Brandi back on the team.
- This continues a debate on free speech and disciplinary measures schools are able to take. In this case, Levy posted the picture not on school grounds and on a Saturday.
- The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court. Schools administrators and the Biden administration say a school’s jurisdiction extends to off-campus speech, and is sometimes necessary such as in instances of cyber-bullying.
- Francisco Negron, the chief legal officer for the National School Boards Association, says that the way students communicate on social media today can have a tremendous impact on student safety and emotional harm.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that Levy was just blowing off steam like millions of other kids do when they’re disappointed. He said it didn’t seem like the punishment was tailored to the offense.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is the story about?
- What did Levy do that got her kicked off the cheerleading team?
- Where has the case recently been heard?
- Why is this case important to students everywhere?
- How does this case impact free speech in and out of schools?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
- Do you think that schools should be able to punish students for what they say outside of school? Why or why not?
- How can posting something on social media get you in trouble later in life? Do you think it’s fair that our social media posts can impact school and job prospects throughout our lives?
Media Literacy: The video offers opinions from justices, lawyers and officials. Are there any voices that you think were missing? How could the story have been different with sources like Levy and her father?
TAKE ACTION
The segment you watched was from 2001 and covers arguments before the Supreme Court. The case itself was decided later that year. Based on the segment, your knowledge of the First Amendment and your own sense of free expression, what do you think the outcome was? What do you think it should have been? (No fair peeking, but a link to the decision is included below.)
Use these guidelines to discuss the Constitution and the First Amendment — should schools be able to punish students for off-campus speech? If so, when and how?
You might also debate the following question: Do you think your campus could or should change its policies to better foster free speech while maintaining a safe environment for students? Use this guide for the debate.
Read the Supreme Court decision about Brandi Levy here.
