Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District was a landmark Supreme Court case that brought to light the issue of student’s free speech. Mary Beth Tinker, a student that was suspended for wearing a black arm band to school, was just one of the students that stood up for their rights.
“I was living in mighty times,” stated Tinker. “Much like now.”
In the speech that Tinker gave to students and community members in Kansas State University’s Wildcat Chamber, she explained how students across the United States were speaking up for what they believed in. That era, the era of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, left many students like Tinker to ask what they could do.
For those students in Des Moines, Iowa, it was wearing a black arm band to mourn the soldiers that had passed away in the war.
Tinker also highlighted students of today that are advocating for what they believe in, much like the Iowa students did in the 60’s.
She pointed to students that are standing up, such as young people in Black Lives Matter and teens in Flint, Michigan who are telling their stories.
The students in Florida who are advocating against gun violence were also a group of young men and woman that Tinker explained was using their rights of free speech.
After Tinker’s presentation, she opened up the room to a discussion on what K-State was doing to allow their students a voice. KSUnite, K-State’s even that promoted inclusion and diversity at Kansas State University, was the major focus.
In an interview after the event, Tinker explained what she meant and why she believed we were living in “mighty times.”
“I believe we are in a time of major decisions,” stated Tinker. In her opinion, we are in a time when young people are going to ask for a change.
“People always say that kids are the future, but kids are also the present.”
The post Advocate for student free speech, Mary Beth Tinker explains the “mighty times” of 1969 and now appeared first on News Radio KMAN.
