dʒˈʌstɪs θˈɜːɡʊd mˈɑːɹʃəl, ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ fɚðə mədʒˈɔːɹᵻɾi, əbzˈɜːvd ðætðə "pɹˈɑːbləm ɪn ˌɛni kˈeɪs ɪz tʊ ɚɹˈaɪv æɾə bˈæləns bᵻtwˌiːn ðɪ ˈɪntɹɛsts ʌvðə tˈiːtʃɚ, æz ɐ sˈɪɾɪzən, ɪn kˈɑːmɛntɪŋ əpˌɑːn mˈæɾɚz ʌv pˈʌblɪk kənsˈɜːn ænd ðɪ ˈɪntɹɛst ʌvðə stˈeɪt, æz ɐn ɛmplˈɔɪɚ, ɪn pɹəmˈoʊɾɪŋ ðɪ ɪfˈɪʃənsi ʌvðə pˈʌblɪk sˈɜːvɪsᵻz ɪt pɚfˈɔːɹmz θɹuː ɪts ɛmplˈɔɪiːz.
Justice Thurgood Marshall, writing for the majority, observed that the "problem in any case is to arrive at a balance between the interests of the teacher, as a citizen, in commenting upon matters of public concern and the interest of the State, as an employer, in promoting the efficiency of the public services it performs through its employees.