August 6, 2009

Iconic free speech advocate to speak at William Mitchell College of Law

Mary Beth Tinker, an iconic figure to free speech advocates throughout the country, will speak at a free, public event from 5 to 6 pm, Thursday, Sept. 10, at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul.

Tinker was 13 years old when she was suspended from school for wearing a black armband in protest of the Vietnam War. Believing her constitutional rights were violated, she took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court ... and won.

Today she is a nurse and speaker on free speech and constitutional literacy who believes students of all ages should be encouraged to speak their minds and make their political, civic, and social opinions heard.

During her presentation, Tinker will share her story and talk about how students can use their constitutional rights to effect change locally and nationally, as she did more than 40 years ago.

Following her speech, Tinker and William Mitchell Professor Mary Pat Byrn will announce that William Mitchell and the Saint Paul Public Schools have partnered to increase constitutional literacy among St. Paul’s high school students.

William Mitchell is the first college or university in Minnesota to become part of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. Named after the late U.S. Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and William Brennan, the Marshall-Brennan Project sends law school students into high schools to teach constitutional rights.

Tinker’s appearance is part of the William Mitchell Public Square Lecture series.

Register to attend the event.