The constitutional rights of public school students, as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court, are the subject of Justin Driver's The Schoolhouse Gate: Public Education, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for the American Mind. The Court's decisions in the context of public education shape the everyday reality of schools across the nation. They are exceedingly relevant in that, according to Driver, one-sixth of the U.S. population can be found in a public school on a typical day.
The Supreme Court has a checkered history when it comes to protecting the rights of students within classrooms and on school grounds. The Court has often diluted and weakened constitutional protections, prompting one brave student litigant to inquire: How can schools expect children to learn about freedom of expression if they are not allowed to exercise it?
Throughout his engaging analysis of landmark constitutional case law, Driver, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Law, demonstrates great respect and admiration for the students and families brave enough to challenge existing school practices. With detailed annotations and objective reasoning, he skillfully unravels the sometimes convoluted judicial opinions to draw out their essence and social impact. Addressing key democratic themes of freedom of speech, racial and sexual equality, patriotism, liberty, safety, due process and more, The Schoolhouse Gate is an ambitious undertaking that is equally accessible to the legal community and the layperson. Readers can gain an excellent introduction to the Supreme Court's role in American society as well as insight into some of the finest legal minds in the nation's history. --Shahina Piyarali, writer and reviewer