FRQ 1 — Concept Application

First Amendment and Student Expression

25 minutes suggested 3 points

AP Exam Tip

FRQ 1 Part C frequently asks you to argue the side you did NOT argue in Part B. You must engage with the argument fairly — AP readers give no credit for saying 'there is no argument on this side.'

Scenario

A public high school principal bans all clothing and accessories bearing political messages after two students wearing opposing campaign buttons get into a physical altercation. A student challenges the ban, arguing it violates her First Amendment rights. The school argues that the ban is necessary to maintain a safe learning environment.

AP readers give no credit for abstract definitions. Every answer must reference the specific scenario text above.

Step 1

IDENTIFY the concept

Name it — a phrase is enough

Step 2

DESCRIBE how it works

Explain the mechanism, not just the label

Step 3

CONNECT to the scenario

Use specific details from the text above — names, numbers, events

✗ WEAK (no scenario connection)

"Partisanship is when people vote along party lines."

✓ STRONG (uses scenario)

"Republicans voted along party lines against invoking cloture on the election reform bill, preventing a floor vote even though Democrats held a simple majority."

Use the scenario above to answer the following questions about civil liberties and student expression in public schools.

Identify the constitutional clause at issue and describe the standard the Supreme Court established for regulating student expression in public schools.

0 words · minimum 40 to submit

Explain how the student could use the holding of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) to argue that the ban is unconstitutional.

0 words · minimum 40 to submit

Explain how the school could argue that the ban is constitutionally permissible under Tinker.

0 words · minimum 40 to submit

Each response needs at least 40 words before you can submit.

First Amendment and Student Expression

On the Beach of Dreams