28 February 2022

KEYTESVILLE, Mo. – A group of Keytesville social studies students had to wait through a winter storm to have the chance to discuss freedom of speech with a local judge.

After hazardous winter conditions caused the school to postpone her visit, Chariton County Associate Circuit Judge Andrea Vandeloecht was able to help the high school juniors February 28 work through a presentation titled “The Challenge of Deciding Tough Cases: Tinker v. Des Moines.”

Vandeloecht says she always enjoys speaking with students, especially about first amendment presentations, which she finds trigger good discussion. 

“The facts of the cases spark critical thinking and make students consider both sides of the issue of freedom of speech in school,” she said. “They are very aware of the school’s concerns, and they learn balancing those with personal freedom is not always easy. My goal in these conversations is not to have people pick a side but rather to have them think about the issues presented and recognize events in the news and in their lives as having a relationship to the United States Constitution.”

Like many of the presentations offered by the Supreme Court of Missouri’s civic education committee, the Tinker presentation incorporates a “you be the judge” exercise in which students are asked to consider all the facts and laws presented by each side, make a decision, then discuss with a judge how their decision compares with the court decision in the real case. 

“Judge Vandeloecht is always a hit as a guest speaker in my government class,” Keytesville High School social studies teacher Camille Fuemmeler said. “Her enthusiasm and relevancy to the students’ lives always keeps them engaged and grabs their attention. And even I consistently learn new information and new court cases every time she visits my classroom. The judicial branch can be a complex part of government, but her visit always helps connect the content to a real-world application.”

The Tinker presentation is one of 20 available from the Supreme Court of Missouri’s civic education committee. To request a presentation, please visit https://www.courts.mo.gov/CivicEducation/presentations/.