Final answer:
The case of Tinker v. Des Moines School District addressed whether the wearing of armbands as a form of protest on public school grounds violated students' freedom of speech rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case of Tinker v. Des Moines School District dealt with the issue of whether or not the wearing of armbands as a form of protest on public school grounds violated students' freedom of speech protections guaranteed by the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court held that the armbands represented pure speech and that students did not lose their First Amendment rights when they were at school. The school officials had to prove that the conduct would materially and substantially interfere with the operation of the school. In this case, the school district's actions were based on a fear of possible disruption rather than an actual interference.
The Tinker v. Des Moines case was important to students, especially during the 1960s, because it established that students have free speech rights in schools, as long as their expression does not cause significant disruptions.