Future of the First Amendment

1. Future of the First Amendment What America’s High School Students Think About Their Freedoms Mrs. Verpooten, Miss Wadycki & Mrs. Lolkema

2. Study Details • The Knight Foundation completed this study in 2004. • They surveyed: • Over 100,000 high school students • Nearly 8,000 teachers • More than 500 administrators • All from 544 schools across the U.S.

3. The Study • The results were frightening. • According to the study, America’s youth are leaving the First Amendment behind.

4. Key Finding #1 • High school students tend to express little appreciation for the 1st Amendment. Nearly ¾’s say they don’t know how they feel or take it for granted.

5. Key Finding #2 • Students are less likely than adults to think that people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions.

6. Key Finding #3 • Students are less likely than adults to think that news-papers should be allowed to publish without government approval of stories.

7. Key Finding #4 • Students are more likely than adults to think musicians should be able to sing songs with offensive lyrics.

8. Key Finding #5 • Students are more likely than adults to think they should be allowed to publish controversial stories in their school paper.

9. Key Finding #6 • Only 25% of students correctly answered that it is legal to burn the American flag.

10. Key Finding #7 • Over 1/3 of students think the First Amendment goes too far in its guarantees.

11. Key Finding #8 • Students have a keen distrust of the media, although they do trust the media more than teachers do.

12. Key Finding #8 • Students have a keen distrust of the media, although they do trust the media more than teachers do.

13. So Where does this leave us? • With your study buddy, answer the following questions and be ready to share your answers: • 1. Which of the results surprises you the most? Least? • 2. Why do you think students are leaving the First Amendment behind? • 3. What can we do to get kids more informed?