Mahanoy Area School District V B.L.

By: Harlow Higgins

Have you ever spoken negatively about someone or something? Even if you haven’t, you have the right to freedom of speech from the Constitution. But are you still protected if you use profanity against your school and violate school rules? 

The Background of the Case

B.L., a student of Mahanoy Area School District, tried out for the cheer team with the goal of making varsity. However, she fell short by only making junior varsity. She then posted on her Snapchat story “fuck school fuck softball fuck cheer fuck everything,” this was then reported back to the cheer coach by some students. Her coach determined this violated rules and suspended her from the team for that year, but B.L. then sued the school under the guides of violation of her constitutional rights. 

The Constitutional Question

Does the First Amendment stop school officials from regulating off-campus student speech?

The Argument; Mahanoy Area School District

The Mahanoy Area School District argued that due to her violation of team and school rules, that she agreed to prior to trying out, the school district has the right to suspend her for violating such rules. In the case of Tinker v Des Moines, schools were allowed to regulate speech that involves substantial disorder. This led to the argument that it was within their rights to suspend her from the team due to her post. 

The Argument; B.L.

B.L. argued that students do not lose their rights when they walk into school. In addition, they argued that regulating the student’s language fell into the parent’s purview, not the school’s due to the location of the post and her post did not cause substantial disorder. This led to the argument that it was within her First Amendment right to make the post she did. 

The Ruling

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of B.L. in a 8-1 decision. The justices held that students retain their constitutional rights while attending public schools. The Court determined that schools may only limit student speech if it would substantially disrupt the educational environment. Since the post caused only a mild unpleasantness, it did meet the standards of the Tinker case which calls for substantial disorder. 

Its Relevance Today

The Supreme Court’s decision in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. (2021) remains one of the most important student free speech cases today because it established that public schools have only limited authority to punish students for speech made off campus, especially on social media. Social media has become a huge part of student’s daily life, so ensuring that Constitutional rights are protected in the digital age are growing more important every day.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. reaffirms the First Amendment right for students expressing their opinions over social media. As we further develop technology and grow as a modern world, cases like these will continue to emerge, which is why establishing precedent through cases like these is important in protecting students and our constitutional rights. 

Works Cited

"Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L." Oyez,www.oyez.org/cases/2020/20-255. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Harvard Law Review. “Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.” Harvard Law Review, 2021, https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-135/mahanoy-v-b-l/. Accessed 14 July 2026.