Justice Clarence Thomas has argued that the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines, which protects students' First Amendment rights in public schools, was wrongly decided on the basis that underage students do not possess free speech rights while teachers act in loco parentis. Despite his view, Thomas acknowledged that since Tinker remains precedent, it should be applied consistently. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has been criticized by members of the Supreme Court, including Justice Samuel Alito, for selectively applying First Amendment protections in student speech cases, effectively engaging in viewpoint discrimination. A federal appeals judge appointed by former President Donald Trump also criticized the Supreme Court majority for its handling of these issues. Commentators have noted that while there may be differences in interpretation, the principle that schools cannot engage in viewpoint discrimination in regulating student speech, as established by Tinker, should be reaffirmed and uniformly applied.