From Snapchat to the Supreme Court: Justices to weigh free speech case of Pennsylvania cheerleader

Washington — A salty Snapchat posted by a Pennsylvania high school cheerleader has served as a springboard for a legal battle set to play out before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, when the justices will weigh whether schools can punish students for speech that occurs off campus.

Marked by a string of obscenities beginning with the letter "F" and a raised middle finger, the post from Brandi Levy, the cheerleader at the center of the case, has paved the way for the high court to clarify the reach of school officials in policing the conduct of their students. "The seminal importance of this case is the Supreme Court will determine how far the arm of school authority extends off campus," David Hudson, a professor at Belmont Law who works on First Amendment issues, told CBS News. "That's a vitally important question because right now, school officials, students, parents — really, anyone interested in this issue — really doesn't know. The court needs to provide some guidance."