Loyalty oath, teachers: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Loyalty oath, teachers,” part of the First Amendment area.

5decisions

100%favorable to the petitioner

60%unanimous

6altered precedent or struck a law

Decisions by decade

1950s2

1960s2

1970s1

Most majority opinions

Tom C. Clark2

William J. Brennan Jr.1

Potter Stewart1

Legal provisions most often involved

Fourteenth Amendment (due process)2

First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)2

Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)1

All 5 decisions, newest first

Connell v. HigginbothamLaw held unconstitutional
403 U.S. 207Decided June 7, 19719–0Per curiam
Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New YorkAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
385 U.S. 589Decided January 23, 19675–4William J. Brennan Jr.
Cramp v. Board of Public Instruction of Orange CountyLaw held unconstitutional
368 U.S. 278Decided December 11, 19619–0Potter Stewart
Slochower v. Board of Higher Education of New York CityLaw held unconstitutional
350 U.S. 551Decided April 9, 19565–4Tom C. Clark
Wieman v. UpdegraffLaw held unconstitutional
344 U.S. 183Decided December 15, 19528–0Tom C. Clark

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error