ATS: Half of U.S. High Schoolers: Government Censorship is Okay

In a recent study of United States high school students revealed that over one third felt that the First Amendment to the Constitution that guarantees the right to free speech goes too far. Furthermore almost fifty percent feel that media should get government approval before publishing stories. The study was commissioned by the James L. Knight Foundation.



This is very scary if you project this in the future. It essentially means that more than half of the up and coming U.S. citizens think that censorship is okay. They feel that further civics education is necessary and point to opinion changes when it is provided. But it may be two late for a whole generation.

[edit on 8-2-2005 by Banshee]

Yes, it is scary.

How did this happen?


.

These kids dont know any better and should NOT have a voice. My, my, how times have changed..tsk tsk,,,

So young and already brainwashed. incredible. This is the future of our country.

Who says brainwashing doesnt work?!

[edit on 31-1-2005 by dgtempe]

Originally posted by soficrow
Yes, it is scary.How did this happen?

I would think the rush to PC speach has at least something to do with it. The words that upset you are the ones that need to be protected.

Originally posted by soficrow
Yes, it is scary.
How did this happen

From the article:

The First Amendment study also reflects indifference, with almost three in four students saying they took the First Amendment for granted or didn't know how they felt about it.

Federal and state officials are pushing for more studies in civics and history.

I think some of this is the fact that alot of schools gear thier curriculum towards passing whatever state mandated tests and stuff that may not be on it but is important gets left off

Well, at least they can't vote until they're 18.

I wonder, though, if the kids are contending that media is too free and using that as an excuse for their own lousy behavior, ala: The news report of the boy who burned kittens made me want to do it!

*shakes head sadly*

*reflects on deny ignorance motto*

*resolves to always purvey that theme, loudly*

[edit on 31-1-2005 by MemoryShock]

Goes to show how uneducated these kids are. Most of them cant even tell time (unless they have a digital clock).

Originally posted by FredT
From the article:

The First Amendment study also reflects indifference, with almost three in four students saying they took the First Amendment for granted or didn't know how they felt about it.

Federal and state officials are pushing for more studies in civics and history.

I think some of this is the fact that alot of schools gear thier curriculum towards passing whatever state mandated tests and stuff that may not be on it but is important gets left off

I think you hit the nail on the head. There is no discussion, little independent thought anymore in the school system. Everything is geared towards passing the yearly testing criteria. The schools aren't educating - they are teaching models geared towards the year end tests.

It is disappointing that an entire generation will grow up not knowing the importance of the constitution and how it protects them.

B.

Being a high schooler myself I'm amazed at the results. It's amazing how conservative some kids are getting. Anybody think that some parents are influencing their kids a tad too much? It's really scary considering that in Illinios every high schooler who wasn't moved up a grade will actually be old enough to vote in 2008.

Scariest thing I have ever read on ATS.

Maybe if schools actually got around to actually teaching history, instead of teaching "tolerence, and self-esteem", we wouldn't be having this problem.

Kids are being prepared for the future. Sure it's scary. I think it is also somewhat planned.

The First Amendment study also reflects indifference, with almost three in four students saying they took the First Amendment for granted or didn't know how they felt about it.
[/quote]
(from Fred's link, above)

It's part of the dumbing-down going on. Not much learning in schools. Not much news on the news. And on and on...
Maybe that flouride in the water is working

, eh, Fred????

actually i am encouraged....i thought at least 80 percent of them were muttonheads.

Wow, talk about quality conditioning. I knew Highschoolers were about as braindead as possible save for post-lobotomy patients, but this comes as quite the suprise. Fürher Bush may get a nearly perfect Republican society after all even if it wasn't his original plan. Too bad I didn't have luck like that somtimes...

No its not Flouride in the water. Flouride make you docile or so the anti flouride crowd would have you believe. No ignorant of the basic tennants of the constitution.

BTW. We have and always have had flourinated water, and let me tell you the wife? I could use many terms to describe her, but "docile" is not one of them

Today I read about this and about fell off the can... so to speak.
Everything that has been said/typed/written about educational conditioning and teacher to student manipulation proven true.

I cannot even begin to imagine why this nation would allow such failure to occure, however most of us know why. If we allow the government or those who manipulate and control it keep pushing our children in the direction they have, home schooling may be the only way to get an unbiased "educational program".

This is the result of a "do as I say, not as I do" mentality. Right there is the first step to allowing others to think for ones self. Deny Ignorance, parents should be required to be more active with schools if they are going to be given a chance, to know what is going on behind closed doors. All too often parents see schools as a good and proper institution, a place to send kids for a break.

I'm just glad not all schools are in such decrepid standards.

How can anyone look at this and make it into a liberal or PC slam, which actually promotes diversity?

Is this not obviously a direct result of the President's "war on TV screens" and the popularity of FoxNews entertainment based programming where more often than not the story is the media?

From galvanting "war heros" to how 'awful, unamerican and irresponsible' the competition is, or any dissent for that matter?

If Clinton single handedly made oral sex okay (as many conservatives claim) then why isn't Bush responsible for the denigration of the free press via his multiple comments about them being liars, or unworthy of attention.

Sorry to always bring it back to this, but this is important. Faith Based Initiatives from Bush have government funded Scientologists and Moonies in your children's schools teaching abstinence and family values programs, among other things no doubt.

The main agenda of these conservative globalists is the eradication of individualism via indoctrination in the young. The eradication of homosexuality is just a by product of that effort to make us all good little cookie cutter subjects.

It's working apparently. Half of America's youth are willing to give up the First Amendment to the government already?

That's the best argument I've heard to date on why the other half should have access to assault weapons. I'm talking about arming liberals here.

This has gone too far.

I name them the AI Generation, both for the effect of being anti-individual and the result of "programming" as in Artificial Intelligence.

[edit on 31-1-2005 by RANT]

I nearly had a heartattack when I read this. I am deeply disturbed and shocked to see this. I simply cannot believe this. Being a highschooler myself, I am hate to use it again, SHOCKED. Nearly half or more than half, sorry I am not good with math, believe censorship is ok. Jesus almighty what is wrong with them? Do they not want their freedom? And furthermore, where is this "line" that they want to set up?

Its sick to see that basicly all that we get taught is rehased knowledge to prepare us for these standard tests. Many of them will NEVER read our Constitution which is beyond sad and disgusting. They will NEVER know how our nation is run or the rights they are granted.

In addition to not being taught it, its all of this "Politically Correct ,Moralistic Jihad and Destruction of Individuality" that is being smushed around. Our youth are losing their individuality and being FORCED to tolerate others. I hate the ignorance of blind hate but they have the right to be dumbarses.

" half of them think newspaper stories should be subjected to government approval, and most incorrectly believed that flag-burning is illegal. "

That is one of the sickest and most disgusting things I have ever read. While will never burn a flag, I don't care that you do. I think its wrong but hey as long as your not beating me with the burned flag, I do not care. The problem is that our youth is becoming trusting of the government, and the day that 1/3 of our youth believe that our government should censor, ban, or whatever to "offensive material" or the media is the day I officialy # myself. Sorry for the language mods but I could not find another word.

I, incase you have not noticed, am vehemently agaisnt censorship of all sorts. It pains me whenever books are banned/censored or when ANYONE can justify or support these heinous acts.

Our future is lost. I hate to say it but it is. Our youth are for the most part idiots, there are many smart ones but they are at a lack, and when 1/3 believe in censorship that is just...its almost a crime agaisnt humanity.

[edit on 1-31-2005 by JediMaster]

Maybe as a society we are looking at failure the wrong way. Instead of always viewing failure as bad we should look at failure as another valuable lesson that needed to be taught. Seems teachers are afraid to fail a student due to how the act will reflect on their ability to teach and the school. In my experiences from High School, teachers passed students all the time or gave easy assignments to help boost the grades.

The teachers cannot be the escape goat for the education system. I believe parents are also losing sight of the values of discipline and responsibility. Instead of giving a child whatever they want make them earn it. Most of the successful individuals around me grew up having to earn what they wanted regardless of their parents financial background.

I know these comments were a little off subject but I believe they reflect some of the underlying issues in our society that would lead to such scary figures.