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Key Findings- (1)(2)(3)

Key Finding 2

Gender and High School Students' Attitudes about First Amendment Freedoms

Male students (36%) and female students (34%) are not that far apart in their opinions about whether the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees.  Additionally, nearly the same percentage of males (32%) as females (33%) think the press in America has too much freedom to do what it wants.

Differences between the genders are found, however, on more specific First Amendment issues.  For example, just 14% of the female students agreed that flag burning as a means of protest should be a protected right, as compared to 19% of the male students. Additionally, while fewer than two-thirds (65%) of the female students agreed that musicians should be allowed to sing songs with lyrics that others might find offensive, about three-quarters (74%) of male students agreed with that right. 

Female students are also less enthusiastic about press rights.  Just 46% of the women surveyed think newspapers should be able to publish freely without government approval of a story, compared to 56% of the men.  And 55% of the female students thought student newspapers should be able to publish freely without interference, compared to 61% of the men.

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