"Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;. . ." Why is this guarantee of free speech and a free press the First Amendment to the US Constitution? Why are these rights so essential to a democracy? After revisiting the First Amendment of the Constitution and watching a video of a reporter who was arrested in Ferguson, class members consider the challenges faced by reporters and by police officers in Ferguson.

 

Concepts

broadcast journalism, investigative journalism, journalism, journalism ethics, photojournalism, freedom of the press, the first amendment, racism, prejudice, police

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have groups analyze the statistics reported in the 2015 State of the First Amendment survey and consider what the statistics reveal about changing attitudes in the United States

Classroom Considerations

• The ninth in an 11-resource case study of the social media and professional news reporting of the shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer

Pros

• Particularly fascinating are the results of the 2015 State of the First Amendment Survey sponsored by the Newseum Institute
• The included materials ask class members to consider not only the role of the press but also the responsibilities of law enforcement

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.6 RI.9-10.7 RI.11-12.1 RI.11-12.6 RI.11-12.7