67 | One T-shirt & “Two Genders:" School Regulation of Demeaning Student Speech

What happens when student speech collides with evolving understandings of identity—and school efforts to protect students? In this episode, we examine L.M. v. Town of Middleborough, a recent First Amendment case involving a middle school student who was told to remove a shirt stating “there are only two genders.” School officials argued the message violated their dress code prohibiting hate speech and could harm transgender and gender non-conforming students. This case puts the spotlight back on the Tinker standard, forcing courts…and educators…to wrestle with a difficult question: When does student expression cross the line from protected speech into something schools can restrict?As always, we break down the facts, legal reasoning, and broader implications for schools navigating student speech in an increasingly complex cultural landscape. We also provide some updates on a bunch of previous bellringers…updates about the DOE, a case out of California that the USSC ruled on from its emergency docket, and more. This is a packed episode! -Check out our updated website (⁠www.chalkandgavel.com⁠) to sign up for our newsletter, support the show, find our episode database, and order some NEW MERCH. -Interested in staying up to date on education law as an educator? Check out ELA's new publication, Law and Policy in Schools, available at www.educationlaw.org/lapis#FirstAmendment #StudentSpeech #TinkerStandard #EducationLaw #SchoolPolicy #FreeSpeechInSchools #LGBTQ #StudentRights #SchoolLeadership #K12Law #ChalkAndGavel #CivilRights #EducationPolicy