Students feel the First Amendment guarantees too many freedoms, according to a study released Monday, Constitution Day.
Ball State University's Journalism Institute for Digital Education, Activities and Scholarship released the results of a survey showing an increase in student involvement with the First Amendment. "We see this as the beginning of a good trend," Warren Watson, director of J-IDEAS, said. "Although more is being done, they're not doing it good enough."
During the past two years, there have been substantial leaps in First Amendment involvement from high school students. The study showed 14 percent more students took courses that deal with the First Amendment since 2004. Also, 5 percent more teachers are addressing the First Amendment in their classrooms.
The findings also show a 6 percent increase in teachers who feel that student education and coverage on the First Amendment is fair to poor.
This survey follows one conducted in 2004 that tested students' feelings and knowledge of First Amendment freedoms and issues. Almost 14,500 high school students, 880 teachers and 34 principals participated in the 2006 survey.
Watson said he was pleased with the results.
"Before the original study, nobody was talking about this stuff," Watson said. "It focused people back on the key things."
Since the first study emerged two years ago, there has been a nationwide initiative to educate students about their First Amendment rights and help them form opinions about how the media is handled.
The findings show a 6 percent increase in students who feel they take the First Amendment for granted. Also, there was a 10 percent increase in students taking classes dealing with the role of media in society, and a 5 percent increase in students taking classes primarily dealing with journalism skills.
Watson said he hoped events such as Constitution Day could jump-start student appreciation of First Amendment freedoms.
Gerry Appel, an education specialist at J-IDEAS, felt the survey would make an effect even though it was just a follow-up.
"The only way the First Amendment will have a lasting effect is if-áwe keep teaching it," Appel said.
Appel said the survey was important for the general public as well as journalism students. Watson said based on the survey's evidence, awareness is rising.
"My view is that we caught the problem at the right time," Watson said. "We caught it while it was slipping, and if allowed to go on, we would find a weaker appreciation for journalism in general."
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