CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
Rights, Respect and Responsibility
Objectives
Handouts
Students will define respect and analyze its connection to free speech rights.
(2-1) Definition of Respect; (2-2) Rights, Respect and Responsibility Graphic
Organizer
Background Fourth and Fifth R’s: Respect and Responsibility by Ron Skinner
Words that matter
absolute
respect
basic rights
responsibility
censorship
rights
hate speech
A. Daily warm-up and current events alert!
Warm-up: brainstorm activity. First list the rules for brainstorming:
• Say anything that comes to mind.
• Piggybacking on the ideas of others is good.
• Do not evaluate or criticize what others say.
• When you can’t think of anything else, wait a minute and try again.
Later in the lesson, return to list and note how the rules display respect and responsibility
towards others. Brainstorm the definition of respect. Students’ will write their ideas on the
board or overhead under two columns: Respect Is and Respect Is Not. Note: allow students
to line-up no more than five at a time. Share ideas orally.
B. What is the definition of respect, responsibility?
To develop a class definition of respect, several strategies are offered.
Ask students to draw symbols of respect. Create acrostic poems using RESPECT. Divide
into seven groups and assign each group one letter from the word RESPECT with each
group coming up with words starting with that letter that relate to respect (examples: R –
responsible, reasonable; E – earned, ethical; S – special, satisfying; P – polite; pleasing; C –
considerate, cooperate; T – tolerant, tasteful).
A definition of respect is found on Handout 2-1; prompts for more discussion are also
offered (excerpted from an excellent lesson from National Constitution Center and Bill of
Rights Institute,
http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Respecting_Freedom_of_Speech.aspx).
Next develop a class definition of responsibility (also found on Handout 2-1). In five small
groups, each group discusses and answers one of the following questions:
1. What would my parent(s) say responsibility is?
2. What would my teacher say responsibility is?
3. What would my friend(s) say responsibility is?
4. What does my country say responsibility is?
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Questions:
What is free speech? What free speech rights and responsibilities do we have? Is free speech vital to
a thriving democracy (why or why not)? What are the challenges to free speech in the coming year?
CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
5. What would I say responsibility is?
Students in each group will write their definitions on 3 X 5 cards (no names). Shuffle and
pass to other groups. Arrange in order of the best definition on top. Post on Responsibility
definition on the board.
Ask, what are the connections between respect, responsibility and rights? Use the
hamburger graphic organizer (free speech is the meat), Handout 2-2, to stimulate
discussion.
Connecting the dots: Citizenship in a democracy requires participation, civility, patience –
rights as well as responsibilities. For democracy to succeed, citizens must be active, not
passive, because they know that the success or failure of the government is their
responsibility. While it is true that individuals exercise basic rights – such as freedom of
speech, assembly, religion – in another sense, rights, like individuals, do not function in
isolation. Rights are exercised within the framework of a society – the relationship of an
individual to another or to a group – which is why rights and responsibilities are so closely
connected. According to scholar Diane Ravitch, "Democracy is a process, a way of living
and working together. It is evolutionary, not static. It requires cooperation, compromise,
and tolerance among all citizens. Making it work is hard, not easy. Freedom means
responsibility, not freedom from responsibility." Excerpted from Citizen Responsibilities
http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhrenglish/2008/May/20080623200545eaifas0.258404.html.
C. Looking at Fraser and Tinker differently
Next, review the language of the First Amendment:
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.
Ask, is your freedom of speech absolute? Can you say whatever you want, whenever you
want? No. Why not? Remember Matthew Fraser? Let’s look at the Fraser and Tinker cases
again.
Students will reread the Tinker and Fraser stories (Handout 1-2) from a different
perspective. Ask them to consider the stories again, this time viewing them through a
respect and responsibility lens. Using highlighters, students will identify places in the
stories where a person shows respect, responsibility, as well as the absence thereof.
Strategy: distribute the Fraser and Tinker stories (Handout 1-2, pages 1, 2 and 5) to
students. Students need two different color highlighters. Use one color to highlight places
where respect shows up, then responsibility. Use the other color to show where respect
and responsibility are disregarded. Begin with the first paragraph of the Fraser case with
the whole class. Then individually or in pairs, highlight all the places where respect is
demonstrated in the story; then highlight responsibility. Discuss as a whole class. Repeat
for instances where lack of respect and responsibility is evident. Discuss; talking points
may include:
• What color do you see the most of?
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Questions:
What is free speech? What free speech rights and responsibilities do we have? Is free speech vital to
a thriving democracy (why or why not)? What are the challenges to free speech in the coming year?
CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
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Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
(respectful behavior v. disrespectful behavior)
Did the parties have a right to speak (express)?
If so, did they do so respectfully and responsibly?
Would the outcome have been different if either or both parties had acted more
respectfully or responsibly?
What if they had followed the class definition of respect and responsibility?
How would you advise the parties?
D. How do we balance competing interests?
When rights collide, government must balance them. Using an opinion line strategy,
answer the following questions (find definitions in Words that Matter backgrounder):
• Allow students to wear any symbols they choose OR ban certain symbols from
being worn in school? Explain.
• Permit a student election speech to include all language including what some could
find offensive OR require that student speeches use only language approved by the
school? Explain.
• Government protects us from ugly or dangerous speech OR speech protects us
from ugly and dangerous speech? Explain.
• Permit all topics to be written about in a school newspaper OR require all articles to
be reviewed by the principal? Explain.
One way to use an opinion line could be as follows. Select a small group of students to
answer each question. Students stand along the line according to how they would answer
their question; ask them why they elected to stand where they did; allow students to
discuss among themselves then change positions. Repeat for each question with a different
group of students. Students not standing in the opinion line should create their own
written opinion lines while the human line is forming. For seated students, distribute paper
with a line on it and ask that they put an X on the line where they would stand; okay to put
a second X on it if they change their minds, numbering the Xs 1 and 2 appropriately.
Alternative strategies for the questions include quick writes, cartoons, teeter totter or other
illustrations. Ask students if there is middle ground for these extremes.
E.
Extended Activities
Write a Code of Conduct for your school that includes all three elements: rights, respect
and responsibility. See Binghamton U’s for ideas,
www2.binghamton.edu/ombudsman/links/freespeech.htm
See FAQs in Bloggers’ Legal Guide for students for easy to read and understand answers to
questions about free speech and writing in the school environment.
For a straightforward, easy to understand lesson on connecting rights with responsibility,
see the Center for Civic Education’s We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution(Level 1)
text,
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=
3
Questions:
What is free speech? What free speech rights and responsibilities do we have? Is free speech vital to
a thriving democracy (why or why not)? What are the challenges to free speech in the coming year?
CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
Lesson_21_What_Responsibilities_Accompany_Our_Rights_Student_Book
4
Questions:
What is free speech? What free speech rights and responsibilities do we have? Is free speech vital to
a thriving democracy (why or why not)? What are the challenges to free speech in the coming year?
CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
Handout 2-1
Definition of Respect, Responsibility
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines “respect” in a number of ways. Some of
them are:
a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation
an act of giving particular attention
high or special regard
the quality or state of being esteemed or honored
deference to a right, privilege, or privileged position
plural: expressions of respect or deference
The history of the word "respect" goes back to the Latin respectus, literally, the act of
looking back, and that to respect does not mean only "high or special regard" but also
simply the act of paying attention to something.
It defines “responsible” in these ways:
answerable or accountable
chargeable with being the author, cause, or occasion of something
having a capacity for moral decision and therefore accountable
capable of rational thought or action
able to discharge obligations or pay debts
and “responsibility” like this:
the state or fact of being responsible
an instance of being responsible
a particular burden or obligation upon one who is responsible
something for which one is responsible
reliability or dependability
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CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Words Matter: Limits on Free Speech
Lesson 2
Discussion Prompts
•
Where have you heard the use of the word respect? (respect your elders, pay your last
respects, respect yourself, respect the environment)
•
How do we show people respect? (through our actions, words, behaviors: don’t say
hurtful things- curses, slurs; being quiet when others are talking; good manners show
respect for others; removing hats in buildings; wearing black to a funeral; being on time
and prepared or class or work; shaking hands with the other team after a game; being
truthful in our relationships- not cheating, lying)
•
To what other things do we show respect? (understanding the power of things we can’t
control- animals, the ocean; concepts- justice, honor, bravery; rights, property or
authority of others; traditions/societal conventions- family, marriage; achievementsgraduation, honors, awards, actions)
•
Who are some of the people we respect as a culture? (students may mention some
names like George Washington, Mother Theresa etc.; honorable people- people who do
something brave, selfless; people who serve others- fireman, policemen)
•
If students contribute that they respect famous people like movie starts, athletes, you
may want to ask, "Why do we respect these when there are so many who commit
outside acts that we do not respect?"
•
If students say that our culture respects having material possessions we want or can do
things we wish we could, you may want to ask, "Is this true respect?"
•
Why do we respect certain people? (for their actions or achievements, courage, opinion,
etc.)
•
Why is showing respect important to our society? (helps to maintain civilization and
our relationships with one another)
•
What happens when we fail to give others respect? (their feelings get hurt; we get into a
confrontation; war; they show us disrespect)
Source:
excerpted from National Constitution Center lesson from the Bill of Rights Institute,
http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Respecting_Freedom_of_Speech.aspx.
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