Kids and the First Amendment

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Published: Feb 01, 2005

Kids and the First Amendment

February 4, 2005

The failure of America 's government schools to teach what children really ought to know has been adequately chronicled for all who wish to pay attention.


Here's more.

American high school students lack knowledge and an understanding of the first amendment.

According to a study by the Knight Foundation, more than a third of the nation's high school students say the amendment - guaranteeing citizens the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and the right to petition the government - goes too far in the rights it guarantees.


Hodding Carter, who heads up the foundation, said the results of the survey are "not only disturbing, they are dangerous. Ignorance about the basis of this free society is a danger to our nation's future."

Ask kids about sex and they know a lot.

Ask them about popular culture and they can tell you much.

But ask them about the building blocks of this country and other important subjects and in too many cases they are ignorant.

And for this we are told we need to pay more for education?

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.


Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

Kids and the First Amendment