The U.S. Supreme Court case Healy v. James (1971) centered around the issue of freedom of association and expression on college campuses, specifically at Central Connecticut State College (CCSC). The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), represented by Healy, applied to be recognized as an official student organization but was denied by the President of CCSC, Dr. Fidelco R. James, who believed that SDS had links to violent activities and did not align with the school's policies. The students sued under First Amendment rights claims and won in District Court; however, this decision was reversed in Appeals court leading them to take their case before the Supreme Court. In a 7-2 ruling favoring Healy et al., it held that denial of recognition without justification is a violation of First Amendment rights - freedom of speech and assembly - even within educational institutions where some restrictions may apply due to pedagogical concerns. It emphasized that fear or apprehension alone cannot justify denying these constitutional protections unless there are substantial reasons indicating imminent disruption or interference with others' rights.

In the dissenting opinion for Healy v. James, Justice Rehnquist disagreed with the majority's view that Central Connecticut State College had violated students' First Amendment rights by denying recognition to a local chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). He argued that college administrators should have broad discretion in making decisions about student groups and activities on campus. In his view, it was reasonable for the college to deny recognition to SDS because of its association with violent and disruptive activities at other campuses across the country. Furthermore, he contended that there was no evidence showing that this decision had been made based on disagreement with SDS’s political views or objectives. Instead, he believed it was due to concerns about potential disruption and violence associated with their affiliation.