Which United States Supreme Court decision was based on the First Amendment?

The decision in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) is significant because it addresses the First Amendment rights of students in public schools. This landmark case centered around the issue of whether students wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War were exercising their freedom of speech. The Supreme Court ruled that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." This ruling established that the First Amendment protects the rights of students unless their actions cause a substantial disruption to the educational process.

In contrast, the other options focus on different legal principles. U.S. v. Nixon dealt with the limitations of executive privilege in the context of the Watergate scandal, McCulloch v. Maryland primarily addressed issues of federalism and the powers of Congress, and Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review. While all are important Supreme Court cases, Tinker v. Des Moines is uniquely tied to the First Amendment's protection of free speech rights.