Final answer:
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier distinguished itself from Tinker v. Des Moines by allowing greater control over student expression that is part of school-sponsored activities. Hazelwood deemed that such expression could be restricted if related to legitimate educational concerns, whereas Tinker protected student expression unless it caused a substantial school disruption.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case of Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier differs from Tinker v. Des Moines in terms of the extent to which student free speech is protected under the First Amendment within a public school setting. In Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), the Supreme Court ruled that students wearing armbands in protest of the Vietnam War was a form of expression protected under the First Amendment. This established the precedent that student expression could not be suppressed unless it caused a substantial disruption to the school's educational mission or violated the rights of others.
In contrast, the Hazelwood case (1988) allowed for greater control over school-sponsored activities such as student newspapers. The Supreme Court held that schools could restrict expressions that are part of school-sponsored activities if they are "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns." This marked a significant shift, indicating that student speech could be more heavily regulated when it is part of a school curriculum or sponsored activity, where the educational institution has a vested interest in maintaining control over the educational content.