This posting is for the purpose of developing discussion among us in order to define areas of interest relating to the First Amendment.
I am hoping students will go to First Amendment.org and look at the topics. Explore a few and try and get a sense of 3 that might interest you. There are some very interesting issues (to me, and I hope you).
Just today there were a number of 1st Amendment issues in the paper: Hip-Hop lyrics, protecting reporters from having to disclose their sources (Shield laws....there is no federal shield law, but many states have them).
Here is what I am looking for......post something like this: I am interested in dress codes and the First Amendment. I want to see what the cases are saying about this....sounds like a clash of interests...kids wanting to wear clothes that express themselves and school administrators that are concerned with running the school.
My hope would be you will find someone with similar interests and you can exchange so insights.
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13 comments:
Hello everyone,
I am interested in the 1st Amendment, Freedom of Speech the articles about License plates,fan profanity interest me because I have a vanity plate and I am drawn to them and the reasons behind why others have them and I believe you should be allowed to fight for what you want on you plates and since I am sometimes an over the top sports fan I can see where the fan profanity article can be debated. I also read several criminal libel freedom of press articles of interest.
Hi everyone,
I looked on the link given and the First Amendment is broken up very nicely and organized with subtopics. Even though it is mentioned as an example in the blog, “dress code” was the first thing I thought about when I initially read this assignment. It is my daughter’s first year wearing a uniform and I have to say initially I was upset that I didn’t have the right or enjoyment of going “back to school shopping” as I had with my mother growing up. However, I do not feel it is a tremendous violation of my right under the circumstances that the education system is trying to establish. “promoting high standards of educational achievement” can and should always be achieved by maintaining school uniform codes and policies that are reasonable in practical and financial terms for parents on low incomes. (www.citizensadvice.oeg) It is true clothing can be problematic and distracting depending on the colors, words, style etc. In school they are trying to promote an atmosphere of cognitive diversity, not what is presented on the externally. Or, in that manner economically. Among contemporary schoolchildren, wearing certain items or brands of clothing, particularly those associated with celebrity status or gang membership, is accompanied by serious problems including peer competition and ostracism, theft, assault, and even murder. Increasingly, dress code and uniform policies have been implemented in public schools to reduce and prevent such problems. This article describes the nature of dress-related conflicts for Black public school students and parents across socialization and contextual settings. Casting the issue holistically as a health and safety concern, it examines the implications of policies and practices that have been offered to address these problems. The Journal of Negro Education, Vol. 65, No. 3, Educating Children in a Violent Society. )
Many cases where parents took a school board to court to such as Gayla Dawn Meyers v. Commissioner of Education in Texas, their claim was denied due to the ability to produce many combinations of a “desired look” as well as the reasoning behind implementing a code of dress being a safety concern.
While I’m on this topic, it had interested/concerned me about another “dress issue” recently reported in the news. A lady was reportedly “too sexy” for a flight and almost thrown off! I thought where is the First Amendment taking affect here? I thought there must have been a mistake. But no! I read the article and Kyla Ebbert was told by a southwest employee that because there were a lot of families aboard a particular flight she would either have to purchase a new outfit or pull her skirt down and her shirt up. Only after she did this, was humiliated and reprimanded in front of the whole plane would they allow her on. I even googled and found other similar stories like this. I feel that travel is such a different atmosphere than a school. School should restrict distractions for the sake of efficiently educating. So then what excuse does the airline have? There will always be conservative people on planes who don’t appreciate skimpy clothes but if an individual buys a ticket and has a sexy dress on that is their right! As long as there isn’t any incident exposure with it!
I have another strong issue Id like to put on the table but not talk a lot about unless someone else wants to deliberate with me is Hugo Chavez last year at the U.N. asserting a right to freedom of speech in our country, and calling Bush Satan and the Anti-Christ. My political feelings aside..I feel like the constitution was set up for citizens of U.S. not for any Jo Schmo to come over here and take advantage of it! If anyone wants to comment let me know, Thanks.
Hi All,
My interest is piqued by the topics within Arts and the 1st Amendment. I've felt that in the past, especially when Newt Gingrich and the Christian Coalition/far Right influenced the Republican dominated Congress and began passing all kinds of legislation aligned with their particular moral viewpoints, freedom of speech - particularly as it's expressed in the arts - started to suffer. Funding cuts for public art, litmus tests for what was appropriate in public art, 'soft censorship' and so on had a chilling effect on what artists produced.
I'm particularly interested in each of these 3 areas:
1. Parody and Satire (there are some very interesting cases)
2. Public Funding of Controversial Art (also some interesting cases - NEA, Guliani etc)
3. Nudity in art, theater and dance (again lots of interesting incidents and cases and the application of "contemporary community standards"
My first choice would be to work on Parody and Satire cases.
I'm not going to lie: I picked the three cases before ever even looking at them. The topics and headings were enough to win me over.
1. Pornography, Obscenity, and Freedom of Speech -- well, who doesn't want to hear about that?
2. Civil Rights and the Freedom of Assembly -- Of particular interest in the nation this month with the Jena 6 situation.
3. Blogging and Freedom of the Press -- Because, thanks to PLS 101, it matters to all of us!
My first topic of interest is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). How much can you get from a "FOIA" (I know it as an immigration form that we fill out) and where is the line between privacy and freedom of Info?
K-12 public schools. (Was my 8th grade homeroom teacher really allowed to force us to say the Pledge of Allegiance (One nation under God) or give us detention?
Religious liberty in public schools. Can they pray whenever they want?
Hi everyone,
I have one of the same interests as Wanda, clothing, dress codes and uniforms, but maybe for a different reason....I believe that the schools should require students to wear uniforms.
Two other topics that pop out at me are speaking up in school and book censorship. All of my topics revolve around children and the schools, this must be because I have two young children in school.
I would be interested in discussing the hot topics such as
Religious Liberty in Public Schools - Evolution and Creation,
and Advertisement and the First Amendment - Tobacco Ads.
Another interesting subject is Right to Sue. The is an interesting twist on how one can petition the government for political purposes and be immune from being sued in court if there are any damages due to such petition.
Hi class:
For starters I would have to say freedom of speech in music. Although we all have the right to say what we want, the big question lies as to when we say things. Hip Hop lyrics for an example. I believe that artists have the power many of us wish we had...just as, being able to represent today's youth in a positive fashion. However, it is far from that. I do understand that it's their form of expression, but I think the language/actions depicted in their work are far from an example they should be setting for our troubled youths.
Dress codes/uniforms in schools is of importance to me on a personal level. When I was a child, my sister and I grew up in a low income household. We didn't get the nice sneakers, or the cool jeans not to mention accessories...what was that? I knew my parents couldn't afford the "back to school" shopping like many parents could, but my parents made certain that we were clean and prepared. Nowadays, the emphasis on what you are wearing and how much it costs seems to be more of importance than "how many books you can read," etc. When I was in grade school, uniforms were only required if you were in a private school. I think a lot of children in my situation would have benefited from uniforms in the school because it would mean there was less competition between one another over who had what.
Lastly, Freedom to Assemble is important too. To what extent are you able to assemble in support of something you believe in before being harrassed by the police or threatened to be arrested. We should have the ultimate right to assemble so long as there is no violence or outrageous protesting going on that could endanger those around you. I think we should be able to assemble peacefully. In my personal experience, in a peaceful demonstration, you can still get arrested for basically doing NOTHING.
My primary interests in 1st Amendment protections are in freedom of religion, in particular, the establishment clause. I strongly beleive that government should be a religion-free zone. Our founders came to this country to escape religious persecution, and it is no accident that it is the first freedom guarenteed in the Bill of Rights.
"Intelligent Design" is the hot button topic right now. I was very happy when the Dover school system lost the case in the PA disctict court.
In addition, freedon of speech is very important to me. In particular,the freedom artistic expression. I feel that art moves people beyond thier microscopic egos, and allows them to think expansively and inclusively. Imagine a world without art. Frankly, art is like air to me. how could I possible live without it?
Lastly, I am very interested learning more about freedom of the press. This freedom is one I probably take for granted, because I am not a publisher of sorts. However, I am enthralled by courtroom drama, and allowing cameras in the courtroom. I'd like to learn more about this subject.
Hey Guys,
I think many of us,including myself,like the topic of uniforms.Although people should be able to dress their children as they wish,enforcing a uniformed dress code can make school an easier envrionment for kids to be in. In refrence to uniforms in highscools, no teen can judge another on what he/she is wearing.Teens these days are very materialistic and if someones parents cant afford to buy them name brand clothing they may be made fun of.Teens are also getting beaten up at school for wearing nice clothes due to jealousy.
Antoher issue i am interested in are the restrictions put on tobacco company add campaigns.Tobacco companies are multi-billion dollar industries and it is their right to advertise what they want.If somebody wants to start smoking because they see a glamouros add it is there right as well.
Finally i would like to hear more about the Book Censorship. One of the many points of school is to make students think and expand their minds.Reading contoversial material is part of the learning process and a way to keep an open mind. If the future america is taught to see in black or white,but not gray..what will the U.S. come to?
I am very interested in learning about feedom of Speech. * Under ground papers & off-campus speech. We should be able to say whatever we like but there are still consequences for everything we say and that is something that everyone must always remember. I did some reseach on a few cases and I thought this was
interesting:
Feiner v. New York:
Facts
In March of 1949, a college student named Irving Feiner made a speech on a downtown city street in Syracuse, New York. A crowd of about 75-80 people both blacks and whites, gathered to hear Feiner talk. During his speech Feiner said a number of insultin g things about various politicians, local state and national. In Feiner's words, the Mayor of New York City and President Truman were all "bums." In his speech, Feiner also commented that "the Negroes don't have equal rights; and they should rise up in arms and fight for their rights."
When people arrived on the scene they (the two officers) expressed some concern with the flow of traffic in the area and the general restlessness of the crowd.
As Feiner continued speaking, a number of people in the crowd became increasingly angry and even threatened Feiner. At this point, one of the police officers asked Feiner to step down and end his speech. When Feiner refused to obey the policeman after b eing asked to step down a second time, the policeman arrested Feiner for disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.
Topics of Interest
1. Arts & 1st Amendment
violence and media
parody and satire
free speech and music
2. Free Speech on College Campus
art controversies
These topics are of interest to me because I would like to know more about the connection between an artisit or producers(entertainment)creation and how laws deduct that their creation affects the audience
I am interested in the First amendment policy as effects Free speech on public college campuses and particulary campus speakers who are over decades make a campus vibrant and responsive to the world around it. I found on the First Amendment Link our professor gave to us an article written by Dave Roland. His concern as many of us share is should speakers be denied access to the public, particularly the public residing in our forums of education? My experience on campuses of many styles, types and wealth leads me to believe that speakers should presumptively be allowed to engage in discussion with students and only in very rare, if not at all, situations be denied an opportuntiy to converse to the "student" public. Why? Why should students be reduced to reading some news reporters opinion of a speaker's dialogue, when that student could hear the person for him or herself. This question was on the front pages of the news, a couple of weeks ago, when, I believe, the Afghanistan state leader spoke at Columbia University. He was allowed to speaker, but the leaders of the Univeristy were harshly criticized. I was puzzled. Why, I ask should a student be requested one, two or 5 years down the road be required to buy a text book or academic book written by or about a "banned" speaker, and be required to study about this state leader, but be denied access to the actual person. How can we groom our international leaders, if they are denied access to the international community. My opinion is not without the understanding that there were speakers, are speakers, and will be speakers who will sway pubic opinon in a manner that is prejudicial or harmful to me, but nevertheless I believe that we cannot choose our boogey men. They exist in the past and will continue to exist in the future. The burden is on us, to choose the right path despite what our leaders and other countries leaders or homegrown leaders persuade us to believe in.
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