What is considered "speech?"

The broad term "speech" can include verbal, nonverbal, visual, and symbolic expressions. For example, in 1969, the Supreme Court found that high school students could wear symbolic black arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War as part of their freedom of speech rights. 

Joseph Frederick, a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School, unfurled a banner saying "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during the Olympic Torch Relay through Juneau, Alaska on January 24, 2002. Frederick's attendance at the event was part of a school-supervised activity. The school's principal, Deborah Morse, told Frederick to put away the banner, as she was concerned it could be interpreted as advocating illegal drug activity. After Frederick refused to comply, she took the banner from him. Frederick originally was suspended from school for 10 days for violating school policy, which forbids advocating the use of illegal drugs.


And who says so?

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.

But what about my mother?

"to justify suppression of free speech, there must be reasonable ground to fear that serious evil will result if free speech is practiced" and "there must be reasonable ground to believe that the danger apprehended is imminent."

So how does that change what we are comfortable with saying? 

What are some of the words or ideas that are taboo now?

Here is a general guide that will help you.

So what does free speech look like in other countries? 

Do you think that we should be allowed to say anything? Especially online?

For next week Wednesday 

1. Interview five people and ask them 
"What do you know about your First Amendment rights?" Ask them if they know that they can say almost anything - do they know what those lines are?


2. Each interview should last 2-5 minutes. Record these interviews on your phone or on your pad. 

• You can use the following apps or any app you normally use:
• Voice memo
• Recorder (free app) 
• Take video  

3. Take pictures of the people you interview.
4. Take all of your pictures and your interviews and put them on a folder on your desktop
5. Listen to all of your interviews and take some notes
6. Write for 10 minutes straight - (Set a timer) and puke on the page everything you have learned about what people think and what is your reaction to what they think? 

You will take these pictures and listen to the audio to create a slide show of what you hear on the Adobe Spark. That will be for later in the week.