First Amendment: A study of High School Students, Faculty and Administrators

This research project, conducted by Dr. Kenneth Dautrich and Dr. David Yalof of the University of Connecticut , surveyed more than 100,000 high school students, nearly 8,000 teachers and more than 500 administrators and principals at 544 high schools across the United States . The two-year study was published in January 2005 and is available through J-Ideas, a project of the Ball State University Department of Journalism.

Future of First Amendment — Key Findings

1. High school students tend to express little appreciation for the First Amendment
   
   
2. Students are less likely than adults to think that people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions or newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories
   
   
3. Students lack knowledge and understanding about key aspects of the First Amendment
   
   
4. Students who do not participate in any media-related activities are less likely to think that people should be allowed to burn or deface the American flag as a political statement
   
   
5. Students who take more media and/or First Amendment classes are more willing to answer questions about their tolerance of First Amendment rights
   
   
6. Most administrators say student learning about journalism is a priority for their school
   
   
7. Most administrators say they would like to see their school expand existing student media, but lack of financial resources is the main obstacle
   
   
8. Students participating in student-run newspapers are more likely to believe that students should be allowed to report controversial issues without approval of school authorities than students who do not participate in student newspapers
   
   
9. Student media opportunities are not universally offered in schools across the country
   
   
10. Of the high schools that do not offer student newspapers, 40 percent have eliminated student papers within the past five years
    
    
11. Low-income and non-suburban schools have a harder time maintaining student media programs than wealthier and suburban schools
    
    
12. Interestingly, virtually the same percentage of students participate in media activities in schools that offer high volume of student media, as in those schools with no media programs
    
    

Source: http://www.jideas.org