EDUA 5939 The Press in a Free Society
THE PRESS IN A FREE SOCIETY
What does freedom of the press really mean and why is it important in a democratic society? To what degree should citizens, and therefore the press, be free to criticize the actions and direction of the government?
In this course the teacher will uncover and analyze the answers to these, and many other questions essential to understanding the function of the press in a free society. This course is for history, English, and humanities teachers who want to prepare young people to become active citizens in our democratic society. The teacher will learn about libel, First Amendment rights, objectivity and bias in reporting, privacy rights, and the conflict between free press and a fair trial—the contradictory First and Sixth Amendments. With this background knowledge the teacher will build lessons to engage their students in analyzing and debating these important issues central to our times.