Tuesday, May 8, 2012 --- Warm Up

1. What is “free speech” and how is it a cornerstone of any democracy?

2. What are the limits of “free speech?”

History of the Bill of Rights An amendment is a change to the U.S.

Constitution to reflect changing times. There are 27 amendments.

The author was James Madison. The first ten amendments form the Bill of

Rights. The first ten amendments were ratified in

1791. The Bill of Rights protects the rights of all

citizens, residents and visitors in the U.S.

The First Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an

establishment of religion, or prohibiting the Free

exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech,

or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably

to assemble, and to petition the Government for a

redress of grievances.”

The First Amendmentincludes 5 rights:

1. Freedom of Speech

2. Freedom of Religion

3. Freedom of the Press

4. Freedom of Assembly

5. Right to Petition the Government

First Amendment

1. Freedom of ReligionTwo Clauses:

Establishment Clause (No state religion.)

Free Exercise clause (Free to practice your own religion.)

Establishment Clause: The government cannot promote or establish a state religion.

Establishment Clause: You Can You Cannot

Teach the history and culture of a religion in public school

Allow individual private prayer in public school.

Transport students to a religious school after public school. Paid for privately not w/public $

Set a state religion

Teach religious beliefs or theology in public school

Pay seminary teachers with public $

Teach creationism

Lead a group prayer in public school.

Free Exercise clause to practice a religion:

You Can You CannotChoose a religion

Pray in a house of worship and worship how you want.

Ask basic questions about religions in school.

Allow religious dress in public schools

Break the law and claim it is a religious belief

Raise children without an education – keep at home.

Deprive children of basic needs (like medicine) claiming it’s because of religious beliefs.

Distribute flyers about a church or temple youth group program at school.

Free to practice but not promote religion in public settings:

Question: In public

schools, can students

ask to lead an entire

class in prayer

before a test? Why or

why not?

Answer: No, in public

Settings there is

separation of church

(religion) and State.

But, a student can say

a silent prayer.

First Amendment

2. Freedom of Speech

“Congress shall make no laws abridging (deprive) freedom of speech.”

In Free Speech Individuals Can…Say any political belief

Display symbolic speech expressing an opinion. (an armband or t-shirt w/a message.)

Protest (without getting out of control)

Say things about someone that are true

Burn the American flag

Say racist and hate slogans

Free speech means someone might say something you disagree with.

Limits of Free SpeechYou may not:Threaten national security

Speak obscenities in public

Yell fighting words

Commit hate crimes

Make incitements to violence

Make incitements to overthrow the government

Create too much social chaos

In school, disrupt in an unsafe/disrespectful way

First Amendment 3. Freedom of the press

“Congress shall make no Law

abridging (limiting) the freedom of

the press.”

Freedom of the Press means… You Can You Cannot

Print any political position

Make fun of people, especially politicians

Expose wrongs by the government

Write ideas others may disagree with

DO’s: Ethics, fact-check, accuracy, fairness, truth and give the full context.

Libel; intentionally injuring a person’s reputation by false facts

Disclose defense-security secrets

Detail how to make a certain weapons

DON’Ts: Sloppy reporting, plagiarism, bias, conflict of interest, poor judgment, deception.

First Amendment 4. Freedom of Assembly

“Congress shall make no law respecting the right of the people to

peaceably to assemble.”

Freedom of Assembly You Can You CannotProtest

Parade (with a permit)

Parade chanting hate slogans

Gang members can congregate in public

Protest by throwing rocks and breaking windows

Hang out on private land against owners will---loitering

Violate Teen curfew

First Amendment 5. Petition the Government

Citizens can write letters to elected officials to protest government actions.

Individuals may sue the government for wrongs

Individuals can’t be punished for exposing wrongs by the government

The courts decide the wrongs

“Congress shall make no law respecting the right of the people to

petition the government.”