Discusses the Freedom Forum poll on the First Amendment that was conducted by telephone between July 17 and August 1, 1997. Expounds that the Freedom Forum intended to depict the opinions within the United States concerning the First Amendment and to trace changes in opinion. Describes the results in detail. (CMK)

Focuses on the rationale for campaign finance reform, preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption in the electoral process, and the need for balancing the constitutional rights protected by the First Amendment. Discusses the issues of disclosure, contribution limits, issue advocacy, and soft money. Includes teaching activities and…

This master's thesis synthesizes literature on the teaching of the United States Constitution, analyzes the Supreme Court case of Westside Community Schools v. Mergens, 1990, and provides lesson plans for teaching the constitutional significance of this case. The thesis argues that because of the poor quality of textbooks and the inadequate…

This document consists on a 6-week curriculum unit designed to allow secondary students to actively explore issues associated with freedom of belief and expression. Throughout the curriculum students systematically examine the ways in which the legal and constitutional framework of our society directly embodies the norms of freedom of speech and…

First Amendment court decisions have generally been consistent in affirming the rights of students against administrative censorship. Despite these decisions, a review of scholastic and collegiate journals indicates that the constitutional rights of students and their journalism advisers or instructors are clearly and frequently being violated.…

Support for the traditional principle of separation of church and state has eroded in recent years. Although a majority of citizens say they support church-state separation, opinion polls find they have difficulty with the issue. The report presents a summary of such church-state conflicts in 38 states. The conflicts are categorized as follows:…

The Williamsburg Charter is a celebration and reaffirmation of the religious liberty, or freedom of conscience, granted by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. It was drafted and signed by more that 150 national leaders and presented to the nation on June 25, 1988, the 200th anniversary of Virginia's call for a bill of rights.…

This paper analyzes the present state of the law and offers some suggestions for school officials who seek to update their school regulations concerning student publications. It examines court cases in such areas as restrictions on the time, place, and manner in which students can distribute publications; prior restraint or censorship of…

The document describes the establishment, development, procedures, and some landmark cases of the U.S. Supreme Court. The objective is to explore the history of the court and to explain its role in the American system of government. The booklet is presented in four chapters. The first chapter, entitled "A Heritage of Law," offers…

Freedom of the press and the extent of constraints upon that freedom are examined. Some recent Supreme Court rulings are discussed. (RM)

Presents Clarence Earl Gideon's petition for counsel as a primary source document to be used in social studies units on the Bill of Right's Sixth Amendment. Examines the constitutional issues of due process and right to counsel. Outlines teaching activities that develop vocabulary and analyzes Gideon v. Wainwright as a case study. (CH)

Discusses the "Board of Education of the Westside Community Schools v Mergens" case that was recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court stated that refusal to allow the student Bible club to meet on school property violated the federal Equal Access Act. Presents the constitutional issues raised and the case's significance.…

Focuses on the hate speech, gun, and privacy debates that today's youth will have to address in their future. Includes articles addressing the arguments in each issue: (1) "Debating Hate Speech" (Frank Kopecky); (2) "Debating the Gun Issue" (Denise Barr); and (3) "Debating the Right to Privacy" (Pinky Wassenberg.)…

Featuring a mock trial tested in the District of Columbia, the objective of this manual is to help students learn more about the constitutional guarantee of trial by jury. Prepared as five separate lessons, the manual examines one alternative to the jury system--trial by ordeal; traces the development of the guarantee of trial by jury; explores…

This teacher's guide presents effective strategies to implement the "Foundations of Democracy" textbook, which introduces four concepts basic to the United States Constitution: authority, privacy, responsibility, and justice. The guide explains that the success of citizenship education programs depends on extensive interaction among…