Gerry Appel said he is bothered that most people don't know what the First Amendment means.
"This is what our country was founded on. It's what makes us unique," Appel, J-Ideas graduate assistant, said. "For students to ignore that is a shame. I don't know why students wouldn't want to fight for their rights. Apparently it's OK for students to be hushed up."
A study, published in January, conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut revealed few high school students understand or appreciate the First Amendment. The study, sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, was titled "Future of the First Amendment: What America's High School Students Think About Their Freedoms."
The study's results were announced Monday at a press conference at the Freedom Forum in Arlington, Va.
J-Ideas, an organization located at Ball State University and sponsored by the foundation, broadcasted a live Web cast of the conference, available at firstamendmentfuture.org, which also provides full information about the study.
J-Ideas was created at Ball State to develop and to encourage excellence in high school journalism through on-site, distance learning and digital activities, according to the Web site. The organization's goal is to "foster First Amendment and civic awareness in our public and private schools, and to bring teachers, students, principals and professional editors together to develop the best and brightest young talent for the journalism profession."
"The study reaffirms our fears that students do not appreciate the First Amendment or understand it," Appel said.
The research project surveyed more than 100,000 high school students, nearly 8,000 teachers and more than 500 administrators and principals at 544 high schools throughout the United States.
About 75 percent of the students surveyed said either they didn't know how they felt about the First Amendment or took it for granted, the study said. About 75 percent incorrectly thought flag burning was illegal, while half believed the government could restrict indecent material on the Internet.
Louis Ingelhart, Ball State Department of Journalism professor emeritus, said students lack First Amendment knowledge because many high schools today fail to explain or even promote the amendment.
"It is true the high schools don't necessarily talk about it in most classes," he said. "I don't know what they teach in those classes anymore."
Many high schools today also discourage students from speaking out, Ingelhart said.
"Administration in high schools want students to be quiet and well-behaved and not to raise their voices about things. They don't want high school newspapers writing editorials saying the food in the cafeteria is terrible," he said. "We've got soldiers fighting in Iraq; we have a democratic form of government, and people in this country are squelching some of these basic rights."
Ingelhart said to better understand and appreciate the First Amendment, high school students and people in general need to take the time to read it carefully.
Contrary to popular belief, the amendment emphasizes six rights, not five, he said: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, right to assemble peaceably, right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, freedom from an institutionalized religion and free exercise of religion.
Marilyn Weaver, chairwoman for the Department of Journalism, said emphasizing the First Amendment to all students will help them to become well-rounded.
"If they don't learn in high school, or any school, the First Amendment rights they have, they aren't going to be good participating citizens," she said.
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