The official definition of censorship, according to the Oxford Online Dictionary, is “the removal or prohibition of any part of books, films, information, etc. » Examples of censorship date back to the Greek philosopher Socrates, in 399 BC, when the Greek state attempted to censor his philosophical teachings (The Long History of Censorship). Even today, governments and corporations are caught hiding or withholding information from the public. Although censorship is a problem in all respects, one of the most controversial venues for censorship is in schools. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay There are countless lawsuits and debates over whether or not schools have the right to suppress and control information disclosed to their students. Despite the obvious suppression of the people's First Amendment right, censorship in schools is a necessary form of protection and privacy implemented for the good of the school community. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects citizens' freedom of speech and expression against all levels of government censorship. It states that “Congress shall make no law…restricting the freedom of speech.” This freedom and protection is a fundamental right afforded to citizens of the United States. As society has progressed, protection has even extended to cyberspace and social media. But that doesn't include everything; certain types of speech, defined by the constitution, are prohibited and unprotected. Speech may also be regulated differently depending on location. The parents' lawsuit for all other court cases on censorship in schools is Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District of 1969. This lawsuit set a precedent that students do not lose their constitutional rights to free speech or expression on school property unless it is disruptive. In this case, students wore black armbands to school in silent protest against the Vietnam War. School officials asked students to remove their armbands, and when students refused, they were sent home. It was argued that the school violated the students' First Amendment rights, but the Court ruled that the First Amendment applied to public schools and that school officials could not censor student speech at unless it disrupts the educational process (Tinker v. Des Moines). Because wearing a black armband was not disruptive, the Court held that the First Amendment protected students' right to wear it. By siding with the students, the Supreme Court ensured that students had the right to freedom of expression within schools as long as it did not disrupt the learning process. Tinker v. Des Moines has been invoked in other Supreme Court cases since the 1969 decision. Most recently, in 2002, the Court ruled against a student who held a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" at a school event , arguing that the message could be interpreted as promoting illegal drug use. Since the Tinker v. Des Moines, its principles remain respected but have been called into question by American courts. The Supreme Court continues to recognize that Tinker's purpose was that viewpoint-specific speech restrictions violate the First Amendment. On the other hand, when it involves obscene, vulgar, lewd, indecent or school-sponsored speech as in the case.