At Chicago’s Lindblom Math and Science Academy, a school on the city’s South Side with a long history of social activism and academic achievement, student protest isn’t something new. According to Principal Wayne Bevis, students have “walked out” on several occasions over the six years he’s been at the school – mostly to demonstrate their objection to racial issues. So, it probably wasn’t altogether surprising when the school choir and its director suggested they just skip the national anthem during a homecoming pep rally last fall. They hoped to avoid controversy during a ceremony that traditionally featured the anthem and the Junior ROTC program members. Bevis urged them to proceed; he just wasn’t certain how the 1,300 students, grades seven through 12, would react.

When the choir took the stage, a student announced they’d start with the national anthem. She mentioned Colin Kaepernick and the backlash he experienced as a result of his own protest and said they stood in solidarity with him and others who sacrificed to make their voices heard. Then, she invited students to kneel, sit or stand during the anthem. The choir knelt while they sang with raised fists. And the students cheered, with most remaining seated or kneeling. Those who stood did so without criticism.

After the anthem, Bevis told the students he was proud of their choice as students; then they continued their celebration. “Lindblom is a place students can practice civil engagement and how to be a citizen,” he said. “Each student made a choice that day, whether they stood, sat or knelt.”

Giving students opportunities to make choices and practice being citizens is the sort of approach to these situations advocated by Meira Levinson. She is an educational ethicist who leads the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Justice In Schools project that provides educators with resources to guide decision-making about ethical issues. We asked her to share advice for educators who are wrestling with complex and difficult freedom of expression challenges like student protest.

Here’s a summary of her suggestions:

Recognize that students have rights of free expression, especially related to political issues. While student freedom of expression has been limited over the years by a series of Supreme Court decisions, the precedent set by Tinker v. Des Moines still holds.

Think of student protest as an opportunity to help students learn rather than try to figure out how to shut it down. Even when student speech may seem misguided, they are learning and practicing being citizens.

Create guidelines for how your district or school will approach student protest to assure the safety and well-being of all students.