The 50th Anniversary of the Tinker Armband Protest
The First Annual “Teddy Talks”
The 50th Anniversary of the Tinker Armband Protest
Des Moines, IA, November 20, 2015–The Roosevelt High School Foundation and Alumni Association is pleased to present the first annual Teddy Talks: The 50th Anniversary of the Tinker Armband Protest. Join us on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00pm in the Roosevelt High School Auditorium for an evening to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the events resulting in the landmark Supreme Court case, Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District, which put a spotlight on Des Moines schools and established free speech protections for students.
We will hear from Mary Beth and John Tinker, two of the named plaintiffs, as well as Bruce Clark, a Roosevelt student who helped organize the original action. They will be joined by Dan Johnston, the ACLU attorney in the case. A moderator will guide a lively panel discussion with key voices on topics of students’ rights, the legacy of this landmark case, and its significance today. The discussion will be open to audience questions before the evening closes with a reception in the Roosevelt cafeteria.
This free event is open to the public. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
This event is made possible by sponsorship from School Administrators of Iowa, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, and the Student Press Law Center.
The Roosevelt High School Foundation and Alumni Association is organized to celebrate the tradition and shape the future of Roosevelt High School by advancing and supporting the students, faculty, alumni and Roosevelt community.
Schools to Mark 50th Anniversary of “Tinker” Black Armband Events
A week of events in the Des Moines Public Schools is planned for
December 14th to 18th to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
events leading to the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Tinker v Des Moines Independent Community School District in 1969.
Two of the plaintiffs, Mary Beth and John Tinker, as well as their attorney, Dan Johnston, will tell the story behind the historic case, and discuss current student speech issues. They will be joined by siblings Hope and Paul Tinker, who wore black armbands to their 5th and 2nd grade classes and will speak with fifth graders at both schools at their old Des Moines elementary schools, Madison and Cattell. Bruce Clark, who helped to plan the original armband actions at Roosevelt High School and was also suspended there for wearing a black armband, will discuss how the black armband action was planned, and how it was censored by the Des Moines Public Schools administrators, leading to the Supreme Court challenge. Mr. Clark currently serves as Iowa State President of the American Postal Workers Union.
Throughout the week, student voices will be featured. Kenna Bell,the student editor of the Roosevelt Roundup said that she is excited to meet the “Tinker” plaintiffs and celebrate the anniversary. “Some youth are unaware of the extent of their individual powers and freedoms. By raising awareness and promoting youth activism, there could be very positive outcomes for society as a whole,” she said. Sulaimann Muhammad, a Roosevelt student who will speak on a panel December 15th as part of the anniversary events at TRHS, said “some of my
peers don’t believe their voices matter…I believe that no matter how old someone is, everyone has a voice.” Events in Des Moines will be held at Roosevelt High School, North High School, Lincoln High School, Harding Middle School, and five elementary schools including Oak Park, Madison, Findley, Moulton, and Cattell.
The Story: On December 16 and 17, 1965, five students in Des Moines were suspended for wearing black armbands to school to mourn the dead
of the Vietnam War and to support a Christmas truce called for by Senator Robert Kennedy. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa challenged the students’ suspensions in court, where they eventually won in 1969. In the famous ruling, which affirmed students’ First Amendment rights, the Supreme Court said that neither teachers or students “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” According to Lexus Nexus, the case has been cited thousands of times in student speech cases, including those involving social media. Mary Beth, who is a Registered Nurse, travels the country on a
“Tinker Tour,” telling her story as well as those of youth through history and today who have spoken up to make a difference. She has recently travelled over 25,000 miles to over 100 schools across the country encouraging students to know and use- their rights.
“I am thrilled to return to Des Moines and my old middle school for the 50th anniversary”, she said. “In eighth grade, I was suspended for wearing a black armband for peace. This time, I’ll have a warm welcome, and that’s a good lesson for students- that you can change history. I can’t wait to hear how the students in Des Moines are changing history today!”
When Mary Beth visited Harding two years ago on her “Tinker Tour,” she was given an honorary locker that she filled with constitutions, armbands and student newspapers from across the country. This time, she’ll add a few more.
Sponsors of the Tinker programs are the Des Moines Public Schools,
the School Administrators of Iowa, the Roosevelt High School Foundation and Alumni Association, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, and the Student Press Law Center.
# # #If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Sherida Kuehler at 515-664-2020 or email at trhsfoundationdm@gmail.com. Roosevelt High School is located at 4419 Center Street in Des Moines.