CIS Political Science
Free Expression: Where to draw the line?

Free Expression on the Internet
You will be exploring and researching the concept of Free Speech

Questions you should address regarding this issue:

1. Should the federal government limit speech on the Internet?
2. What guidelines should elected officials follow when considering such limitations?
3. What restrictions, if any, should be placed on Internet bullying, pornography or music downloading?
4. What laws or policies should be enacted?

Keywords v. Subject Headings
Identify the keywords/concepts from the questions above and think of related keywords (synonyms) you can use as well to locate information on this topic.

For example: another way to refer to “limit speech” would be censorship.
An alternate Keyword for “Internet pornography” would be “online pornography”.
An alternate Keyword for "elected officials" would be "congress".

Identify the appropriate Subject Headings for the Keywords in these questions.

NOTE: All subject headings can be used as Keywords, but not all Keywords can be used as Subject Headings.  

Readings for Free Expression on the Internet
(When reading these articles, look for additional keywords to use to conduct more in-depth research.)

Public Agenda Online:Overview of Internet speech/privacy
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/overview.cfm?issue_type=internet

Discussion Guide from Public Agenda
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/debate_detail2.cfm?issue_type=internet

Issue Overview from First Amendment Center http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/internet/overview.aspx

Cyberbullying and online teens http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/216/report_display.asp

Teens, privacy, and online social networks: How teens manage their online identities and personal information in the age of MySpace. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/198/report_display.asp

Slippery slope of web censorship: From China to the U.S., the global implication of internet blocking. http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3771510

These articles are only the beginning. You will need to do additional research to gain a better perspective on the issues involved with these topics.

Free Expression in Campaigns

Questions you should address regarding this Issue:

1. Should the (federal/state) government limit campaign spending?
2. What guidelines should our elected officials use when considering such limitations?
3. For example, is a candidate’s right to speech restricted by not having the same financial resources as his or her opponent?
4. What policies, if any, should be enacted?

Identify the keywords/concepts from the questions above and think of related keywords (synonyms) you can use to locate more information on this topic.

Readings for Free Expression in Campaigns

CRS Report for Congress Campaign finance: An overview. http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/92957.pdf

Malbin, M.M., & Bauer, R.F. (2007). Regulating “soft money” in elections: Necessary reform or oppressive restriction? In J.T. Rourke (Ed.), You Decide! 2007 . Pearson Education, Inc.

A new channel for soft money appears in race.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/us/politics/12spend.html?pagewanted=print

Free Expression in Schools  

Questions you should address regarding this issue:

1. Should Minnesota’s schools be permitted to limit students’ freedom of speech?
2. What guidelines should school administrators and our elected officials use when considering such limitations?
3. For example, do dress codes or limits on hate speech unnecessarily restrict students’ rights to express themselves?
4. What policies, if any, should be enacted?

Identify the keywords/concepts from the questions above and think of related keywords (synonyms) you can use as well to locate information on this topic.

Readings for Free Expression in Schools

Holding, R. (2007, May 10). Fighting for free speech in schools.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0.8816,1619549,00.html

Holding, R. (2007, June 25). Ruling “bong hits” out of bounds.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1637131,00.html

Hudson , D.L. (n.d.). Overview: K-12 public school student expression.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/overview.aspx

Teaching public schools the ABCs of the Constitution – Part II: Students’ free speech rights in public schools. http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/legal_features.asp?article_id=61

Teaching public schools the ABCs of the Constitution – Part III: Religious expression at graduation ceremonies and assemblies. http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/legal_features.asp?article_id=62

The student press law center’s high school top ten list: The ten questions high school student journalists most frequently ask about their rights. http://www.splc.org/printpage.asp?id=3&tb=legal_research

Ask Sybil Liberty about your right to free expression.
http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12803pub19971231.html

Former St. Francis student editor’s freespeech fight rewarded: Battle to publish photo garners a $5,000 prize. http://www.twincities.com/minnesota/ci_7446215

To find specific articles about Minnesota schools and students' freedom of speech issues, click on ProQuest Newsstand from the Library's Home Page under Search for Newspaper Articles. The Minneapolis Star Tribune is available in full text from this database.

RHS Research Databases

Using the following research databases you will be able to locate in-depth information on each of your Issues:
Free Expression on the Internet; Free Expression in Political Campaigns; Free Expressions in Schools.

Opposing Viewpoints is a one-stop source for information on today's hottest social issues. OVRC features viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, primary source documents, statistics, podcasts, and links to Websites.

Search Samples:

Campaign Finance Reform
Internet Censorship
Internet Privacy
Student Privacy
Student Rights

Search Samples:

Campaign Finance Reform
Free Internet
Internet Filtering
School Uniforms
Students' Rights
Social Networking Sites
Cyberbullying