A birthday to celebrate and honor

Today is the 22oth birthday of the Bill of Rights, a time to celebrate through our actions and our recommitment to what it means.

• Today, we should show our support for our First Amendment rights online at #FreeToTweet and check out other important information on the First Amendment.

• Today, we should follow activities at the Newseum in its live webcast announcement tomorrow afternoon of a teacher’s guide called “Using social media to teach about the First Amendment” produced by the First Amendment Center.  This will be a part of the Newseum’s Bill of Rights Day celebration, which includes the webcast of a musical program as well. Details are available here. The program also includes a panel discussion on the Future of the First Amendment.

• Today, we should applaud the Toledo Blade for its editorial titled “Courageous Journalism” supporting student journalists in Sylvania, Ohio, for their editorial exploration of student views on homosexuality. Students there now face the specter of prior review because of their coverage. The Blade wrote, “School officials took a teachable moment and made the message: Stay in the closet. Shame on them for lacking courage, integrity, and a commitment to basic freedoms.” This is the kind of celebration of the First Amendment we need from more commercial media – and continuously from students at all levels.

• Today, we should rededicate ourselves to maintaining and growing our active support for the Bill of Rights and especially the First Amendment rights of  students in public and private schools.