The American Bar Association Division for Public Education joins the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and The Media Institute in promoting the second annual National Freedom of Speech Week. Use the resources below to learn more about your right to freedom of speech! (All resources provided by the ABA Division for Public Education unless otherwise noted.)

Please note that the following breakdowns are just a guideline; teachers, lawyers, and judges may also find the links under Student Activities to be useful.

For Teachers, Lawyers, and Judges
The following links can be used in classrooms and/or at community presentations.

• Teaching About Freedom of Speech on the Internet
  This lesson is geared towards high school students and features background information and a student handout.
  
  
• Talking Points on Freedom Issues
  Includes information about freedom of speech, dangerous speech, hate speech, etc. Also includes questions for discussion.
  
  
• Lessons from the Freedom Forum
  This page contains links to lessons about freedom of speech. You might consider using "Lesson 2: Does Having Freedom of Speech Mean We Can Burn Our Flag?" and "Lesson 4: When May Speech Be Limited?"
  
  
• National Online Youth Summit 2003 Lessons
  Links to a variety of lessons concerning freedom of speech on the Internet.
  
  

Student Activities
Students can do the following activities on their own or with guidance from a teacher.

• Debating Hate Speech
  Part of our Students in Action: Debating the "Mighty Constitutional Opposites" feature. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, including insulting, offensive "hate speech"—but only to a point. Learn more about what constitutes hate speech, and how a balance must be found that protects the civil rights of all without limiting the civil liberties of the speaker. Student activities are also included.
  
  
• Key Supreme Court Cases: Schenck v. United States
  Backgrounder and activities for a Supreme Court case regarding freedom of speech.
  
  
• Key Supreme Court Cases: Bethel School District v. Fraser
  Backgrounder and activities for a Supreme Court case regarding free expression for students.
  
  
• Online Conversation with the Tinker v. Des Moines Plaintiffs
  Learn about the Tinker case, read the plaintiff bios, and read the Q&A to understand this landmark case and its impact on students and their right to freedom of speech within school.
  
  
• Santa Fe: A School Prayer or Free Speech Case?
  Part of our Students in Action: Debating Church-State Relations and Related Free-Speech Issues topic. Learn about Supreme Court case Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, then read the follow-up questions and consider other issues associated with the case.
  
  
• Introduction to the Free Speech Clause
  From Professor Doug Linder's Famous Trials site. Includes historical information about the freedom of speech clause, and questions for further thought.
  
  
• Speech Rights of Public School Students
  From Professor Doug Linder's Famous Trials site. Includes introduction, famous cases, and questions to consider.
  
  

Other Resources and Websites

• Focus on Law Studies, Fall 2004
  Television Policy: Economic v. Content Regulation and Deregulation (pdf)
  Covers television policy, media ownership rules, censorship on TV, and other resources.
  
  
• Teaching Resource Bulletin: Update on the Internet and the First Amendment (.pdf)
  David L. Hudson, Jr. touches upon the Communications Decency Act, children and the Internet, and freedom of speech in this bulletin. Student activities are included.
  
  
• Text of the Constitution
  From the Conversations on the Constitution site.
  
  
• Free Expression Policy Project
  Provides research and advocacy on free speech, copyright, and media democracy issues. A project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.
  
  
• The Media Institute
  This nonprofit research foundation specializes in communications policy and the First Amendment. Co-sponsor of National Freedom of Speech Week.
  
  
• National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation
  Non-profit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in supporting and advocating: education and training programs, strategies to increase diversity, initiatives stressing the importance of the First Amendment, community service, philanthropy, and other timely broadcasting issues. Co-sponsor of National Freedom of Speech Week