Free Speech
10 items
Free Speech | BRI’s Homework Help Series
Video
Video
7 Min
Why is the freedom of speech a bedrock principle in American society? In this Homework Help video, we explore the history of freedom of speech in the United States.
7 Min
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Tinker v. Des Moines. Dealing with students rights and the First Amendment's protection of free speech, this lesson asks students to evaluate the extent to which the First Amendment should protect symbolic speech, and the degree to which that protection should be guaranteed to students in public schools.
Schools, Religious Liberty & Tinker v. Des Moines | Mark Rienzi | BRI’s Constitutional Conversations
Video
Video
1 Min
Mark Rienzi, President of Becket Law discusses the importance of Tinker v. Des Moines for schools today.
1 Min
Tinker v. Des Moines | Homework Help from the Bill of Rights Institute
Video
Video
3 Min
Why did a subtle act of protest against a foreign war reach the Supreme Court? In 1965, students John and Mary Beth Tinker wore black armbands to school to protest the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, despite the Des Moines school district prohibiting such an act. The Tinkers sued the district for violating their First Amendment rights, and the Supreme Court ruled in their favor in a 7-2 decision. While subsequent Supreme Court rulings narrowed the scope of free expression rights at school, Tinker v. Des Moines remains a landmark case that has defined First Amendment rights for students.
3 Min
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States. Dealing with the First Amendment's free speech protections and whether it has limits during wartime, this lesson asks students to evaluate the Supreme Court's limitations of free speech set forth in Schenck.
Schenck v. United States | BRI’s Homework Help Series
Video
Video
3 Min
Schenck v. United States was a Supreme Court Case that explained some limits to the Freedom of Speech afforded by the First Amendment. During World War I, the US instituted a military draft. Many people released anti-war and anti-government information due to their displeasure with the draft. Charles Schenck, an anti-war socialist, was arrested by the Federal Government for circulating a pamphlet encouraging men to resist the draft and violating the Espionage Act of 1917. The Supreme Court ruled that wartime circumstances changed the rules related to free speech and resulted in the “Clear and Present Danger” rule.
3 Min
Why is Free Speech Essential to Self-Government?
Lesson - 3 Activities
Lesson
3 Activities
90 Min
America's Founders recognized the necessity of vigorous public debate and enshrined the right to speak freely in the Bill of Rights. This component of the Constitution protects a wide range of speech, including speech we might find disagreeable. While the First Amendment's primary purpose was to protect political speech, its protections do have limits. This lesson explores this essential principle of free speech.
90 Min
How Has Speech Been Both Limited and Expanded, and How Does it Apply to You and Your School?
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
60 Min
The Founders meant for the First Amendment to protect a wide array of expressive activities. The Supreme Court, recognizing changes in society and technology, has applied the First Amendment's protections in some ways that are broader than ever. Student speech in public schools, however, poses unique questions. This lesson will help students to understand the operation of the First Amendment in both their school and in the wider context of society, and it will help foster students' appreciation of their rights, preparing them for responsible and effective participation in their school, community, and nation.
60 Min
Free Speech, Banned Books, and Civil Discourse
E Lesson
E Lesson
20 Min
The United States Supreme Court in Island Trees School District v. Pico in 1982 held that libraries are places for “voluntary inquiry” and concluded that the school board’s “absolute discretion” over the classroom did not extend to the library for that reason. Recently, students in Duluth, Minnesota found out that classic books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird were being pulled from the shelves. Michael Cary, director of curriculum and instruction of the Duluth Public Schools District, stated that this was done because, “The feedback that we’ve received is that it makes many students feel uncomfortable.”
Debating Campus Free Speech | Lee Rowland, ACLU | Lincoln-Douglas
Video
Video
63 Min
Lee Rowland of the ACLU joins Bill of Rights Institute to discuss the NSDA Jan/Feb LD resolution "Resolved: Public colleges and universities in the United States ought not restrict any constitutionally protected speech." Ms. Rowland first presents on the topic and then answers student questions.
63 Min