The John F. Tinker Foundation (JFTF) was established in 2019, the 50th anniversary of the landmark First Amendment U.S. Supreme Court decision, "Tinker v. Des Moines". known by many as The Armband Case.
It was 1969 when Justice Abe Fortas wrote for the majority,
"First Amendment rights, applied in light of the special characteristics of the school environment, are available to teachers and students. It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or Expression at the schoolhouse gate."
In today's world, these words continue to reverberate in the daily lives of Youth, their Families, Schoolmates, Teachers, Administrators. They articulate the fundamental reasoning behind First Amendment rights, and in particular emphasize the importance of respecting these rights within our public schools.
The JFTF seeks to develop opportunities for multi-generational audiences to have access to a broad array of speakers, including John Tinker, who are expert in Jurisprudence, The First Amendment, Educational Law, with an eye toward preparing students for civic life beyond public school, contributing to professional excellence of public school educators and administrators, as well provide for the lively exchange of ideas among University-level Academic Community.
