Free Speech Curriculum Released

The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut has developed a curriculum to teach high school students about the Constitution using real cases and issues in Connecticut. The curriculum for students and teachers is available for download below.

The purpose is to provide students with an understanding of the right to freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the limits to that right and the particular application to public school students. A teachers guide and a student guide are available as PDF documents.

The unit includes four lessons. The first teaches the evolution of free speech rights in the United States, particularly for public school students. Each of the three subsequent lessons examines a real controversy in Connecticut.

All lessons include suggested activities for the classroom or homework assignments, links to more information, discussion questions and answers and a lesson plan with worksheets and supporting material. The lessons were developed in accordance with the Connecticut Social Studies Curriculum PK-12 Framework and in consultation with public school civics and social studies teachers. There is a strong emphasis on the use of primary source documents.

The curriculum was researched, written and designed by education consultant Loretta Waldman and by Jeanne Leblanc, communications director for the ACLU of Connecticut, under the auspices of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Connecticut and with the guidance of the Education Committee of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut Board of Directors.

"We want to help teach young people that the Constitution is a living document by showing them how it affects their own lives right here in Connecticut," Leblanc said. "Education is a vital part of the mission of the ACLU and teaching about the First Amendment is a special responsibility since our merger with the Center for First Amendment Rights."