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The facade of a neoclassical building with sculptures and the inscription "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW."
Silhouetted family holding small American flags against a sunset backdrop.
Children in colorful shirts standing in a library, pledging allegiance to the American flag.

Flag Day

3 items

The facade of a neoclassical building with sculptures and the inscription "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW."
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Lesson - 4 Activities

Lesson

4 Activities

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson. Dealing with the First Amendment's freedom of expression protections, this lesson asks students to argue whether or not burning the American flag is so offensive as to be outside the legitimate marketplace of ideas.
Silhouetted family holding small American flags against a sunset backdrop.
An Anthem, A Flag, and Individual Liberties
E Lesson

E Lesson

20 Min

When American football player Colin Kaepernick began sitting (and later kneeling) during the National Anthem to protest racial injustices in the country, he intended to draw attention to race relations in the United States. However, his actions have also sparked a discussion regarding the individual liberties of American Citizens.
Children in colorful shirts standing in a library, pledging allegiance to the American flag.
Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940)
E Lesson

E Lesson

20 Min

Billy Gobitis, a ten-year-old Pennsylvania public school student, refused to salute the American flag because doing so would have gone against his religious beliefs. Billy argued that his First Amendment rights to free speech and religious exercise meant the government could not force him to participate in the daily ceremony.