John and Mary Beth Tinker, as well as Christopher Eckhardt, were raised to stand up for what they believed in. Neither the Eckhardt family nor the Tinkers supported the responsibility the United States felt to fight in Vietnam. In December 1965, a group of students in Des Moines, Iowa met in the home of Christopher Eckhardt to plan a peaceful protest to voice their opinions on American involvement in the Vietnam War. The students planned to wear black armbands throughout the holiday season. After school officials heard of the protest, a no-armband policy was put into place. The rule stated “any student wearing an armband would be asked to remove it, with refusal to do so resulting in suspension.”
"I wore the black armband over a camel-colored jacket. The captain of the football team attempted to rip it off. I turned myself in to the principal's office where the vice principal asked if I 'wanted a busted nose.' " |
"You're too young to have opinions." –Velma Cross to Christopher Eckhardt, December 1965 On December 16, 1965, Christopher Eckhardt and Mary Beth Tinker wore the black armbands and were sent home. The following day John Tinker wore his armband and was sent home. The students didn’t return to school until after New Year's Day, the planned end of the protest.
“For the good of the school system, we don’t think this should be permitted. The schools are no place for demonstrations. We allow for free discussion of these things in classrooms.”–E. Raymond Peterson |