Greetings GHC Faculty,
The week of January 25-29 is First Amendment Awareness Week at GHC.
This is the time each year when everyone at the college is encouraged to become more aware of what the First Amendment to the United States Constitution actually says and to reflect on the important freedoms it protects.
GHC’s First Amendment Awareness Week has been sponsored by the Six Mile Post for well over fifteen years and is co-sponsored by various GHC organizations. On behalf of the SMP staff, I am asking faculty to take a moment during the week to read the First Amendment to your students. It would also be nice to allow time for a little group discussion.
While the First Amendment is just one sentence long, it protects some of our most cherished freedoms—our freedom of religion, speech, press and our right to peaceably assemble and to petition the government. These have been our basic rights for a long time. The free exchange of ideas the First Amendment protects is fundamental to the academic environment of a public college and to a democratic society.
—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. — The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
I encourage everyone to recognize and participate in the week as it seems appropriate.
I have also included a few links below to short educational videos and a simple activity to foster discussion.
3 Links to Helpful Videos:
5 Things Students Should Know About the First Amendment
Freedom of Speech: Crash Course Government and Politics #25
Interactive Discussion Activity:
Intro to the First Amendment: Would You Fight for All Five?
I hope these materials may help you to address the topic with students in your classes.