Steirer v. Bethlehem Precedents:
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Wolley v. Maynard (1977): The freedom of speech protected by the First
Amendment "includes both the right to speak freely and the right to refrain
from speaking at all."
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette: The Court ruled
that; "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is
that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in
politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force
citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein."
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Edwards v. Aguillard (1987): The Supreme Court has noted that "states
and local school boards are generally afforded considerable discretion in
operating public schools.
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Epperson v. Arkansas (1968): "By and large, public education in our
Nation is committed to the control of state and local authorities. Courts do
not and cannot intervene in the resolution of conflicts which arise in the
daily operation of school systems and which do not directly and sharply
implicate constitutional values."
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Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): The Supreme Court ruled that even "teaching
values " must conform to constitutional standards. The constitutional line
is crossed when, instead of merely teaching, the educators demand that
students express agreement with the educators' values.