The First Amendment states, “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 gives written meaning for the power of free expression and speech
for each individual in the United States of America. As they wrote, the founding fathers
chose these words to represent the power of a new nation, emphasize unity,
individualism, and equality for all.
Though the freedoms of the First Amendment can be exercised in many different ways,
the younger generation must become educated on their freedoms and how to correctly
utilize them.
The Gallup and Knight Foundation surveyed college students on their attitudes about free
speech, 41% of the college students surveyed responded that they felt their freedom of
speech was "threatened/very threatened," a significant increase from 27% in the 2016
survey.
Although this survey was conducted in 2016 and 2020, the topic of free speech and
expression among young individuals has been discussed for many years.
In 1968, the Tinker Vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District Supreme
Court case took place. In this case, the students fought for their free expression by
wearing armbands as a silent protest against the war in Vietnam. The school district in
response suspended the students. Following the suspension, the students that were
affected took the case to court. As a result, the majority ruled in favor of the students
and the case cemented the value of free speech in schools.
In this particular court case, the students were educated on their natural rights and rose to
the challenge to fight back. This is the powerful impact that young individuals can have
when they are knowledgeable and resilient. If teachers and professors incorporated and
encouraged students to utilize their freedom of speech in the classroom, it would instill
confidence for them to use their personal voices .By utilizing this concept, a smaller
percentage of students may indicate their freedom of speech in educational learning
environments as “ threatened.”
According to the National Coalition Against Censorship, learning concepts beyond
writing and math helps positively develop the younger generation.
“Education in a democratic society requires developing citizens who can adapt to
changing times, make decisions about social issues, and effectively judge the
performance of public officials,” NCAC stated.
As the statement from the NCAC continues, it discusses a call to action for public
schools to educate the younger generation on their freedoms.

“In fulfilling their responsibilities, public schools must not only provide knowledge of
many subject areas and essential skills, but must also educate students on core American
values such as fairness, equality, justice, respect for others, and the right to dissent.”
All in all, the education of young individuals in our nation will play a vital role in the
continuation of a strong democracy. This starts with the education that young
individuals receive.
“We must stop building walls around our own communities that create safe but isolated
spaces and instead look beyond our own narrow concerns and interests – to participate as
citizens in the society in which we all live. The earlier we can begin this process the
better – and this is where education plays a vital
role.”(https://www.equalityhumanrights.com)