Brandi Levy, a student, posted a message on her Snapchat account when she didn’t make the varsity cut as a freshman cheerleader for her school. Her message stated, “‘F school, F cheer, F softball, F everything”.

Levy’s school suspended her from an entire year of cheerleading accusing her post of vulgarity. 

This incident became the central cause of a major case that followed which tested the rights of free speech to students and also how far the boundaries of school discipline can be pushed. 

The court ruled that “While public schools may have a special interest in regulating some off-campus student speech, the special interests offered by the school are not sufficient to overcome B. L.’s interest in free expression in this case.”

The case, which held a ruling of 8-1, was written by Justice Stephen Breyer, opposed only by Justice Clarence Thomas.