“Students from affluent suburban schools project confidence that their opinions will be heard. They're part of an overall environment that has power, but the fact that they have grown up in that environment may cause them to take that power for granted. Education is a 24/7 job, and the way people feel about First Amendment issues will reflect beliefs from their family dynamics, religious training, community values and personal experiences. When leaders of the country suggest that we are at war and it isn't patriotic to protest decisions, it is a challenging time to teach the worth of the unpopular opinion.”

“So now we get to the hard part. As you know, it's much easier to see problems than to fix them. However, I think Ball State's initiative to offer a First Amendment course for administrators is a positive step. A greater emphasis on First Amendment education in teacher training classes for K-12 would be good as well.”

“Student appreciation varies and it often depends on how liberal or conservative the student is to begin with. I think it also depends on the individual's background. For example, the father of one of our newspaper staffers is a professional journalist. When our paper ran into censorship problems (in 2004), that student was far more incensed by the situation than other kids and I think that was because of his familiarity with the press and press rights.”  

“This also depends on how much freedom a school gives its students. I've taught in schools where rules are enforced pretty thoroughly and consistently and kids know they have to follow the letter of the law. Kids in those schools tend to be more conforming than kids going to schools where they are given more latitude.”

“Suburban families tend to be conservative.  Kids normally pick up the politics of their parents and vote to protect their lives.  They feel strongly that liberal politics threaten their lifestyle, and they see liberties such as the First Amendment as a threat to that lifestyle.”

“The solution is to educate them, obviously.  When students realize they could lose their right to say what is important to them, they realize the importance of press freedom. When kids realize the power of words belong to everyone, and that we learn by listening instead of arguing, it helps them understand the importance of the right to free expression.” 

“I believe it depends upon their background and classroom experiences. At Carmel High School, for example, at least one student refused to stand during the weekly recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. He did so to protest the Iraq War, and he knew he had the Constitutional right to do so.”

“Instruction in journalism and social studies classes in any setting -- rural, urban or suburban -- would provide an appreciation for the Constitution and the First Amendment. More importantly, the ability and opportunity to put their First Amendment rights to actual practice in their schools would no doubt increase their opinion of their own rights and responsibilities.”

"The earlier you can get an awareness of the First Amendment the better. I think that could be in the later grades in elementary school. Students could better understand the principles of the First Amendment and the importance of them to our democracy.”

Mark Witherspoon
College Media Advisers
Iowa State University