TEACHING RESOURCES

Professors at Central Washington University are encouraged to integrate the First Amendment Festival into their curriculum. To get the most out of the various First Amendment Festival programs, check out some of the following links:

DISCUSSING THE FIRST AMENDMENT: A CURRICULAR FRAME FOR CWU'S FIRST AMENDMENT FESTIVAL

This guide, by leading First Amendment educator Sam Chaltain, provides a good contextual approach for how to engage students in a discussion of First Amendment issues. Chaltain, who conducted a faculty development workshop at CWU last spring, includes topical ideas and a good structure for productive seminars. Don't miss the First Amendment seminar plan, including discussion questions and related readings, on the last page!

RESOURCES FOR STUDENT FREE PRESS & FREE SPEECH BILL

To help your class better understand why there is a need for this bill, you might introduce them to the 2005 Hosty v Carter case. Click here to go to the Student Press Law Center's information on the case.

RESOURCES FOR THE ACTIVISTS PANEL

The articles below are about the speakers coming to Central on February 8th and the causes they championed.

Tim Eyman

Tim Eyman article on Wikipedia.org
This article sums up Eyman's carrer and goals
Click here to view the site

The Associated Press says in 2007, Eyman plans to focus on making it harder to raise state taxes and fees.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/294727_eyman05.html
Tim Eyman's March 15, 2006 guest column explains why he wanted to rescind the legislature's ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=eyman15&date=20060315&query=tim+eyman+discrimination
The Seattle Times' Jan. 31, 2006 piece about Eyman's intention to repeal the newly signed gay rights law
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/257617_gayrights31.html
Seattle P-I columnist Ted Van Dyk on the first 100 days of the new performance audit program, I-900, passed by Eyman in 2005.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/268083_vandyk27.html

Shannon Sullivan

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/jimwest/story.asp?ID=062005_sullivan
A video interview with Shannon Sullivan after she decided to lead the recall effort
www.spokesmanreview.com/media/video/play.asp?file=050905_recall_sr_hi.mov
Two-thirds of the voters agree to recall West
www.spokesmanreview.com/jimwest/story.asp?ID=120705_recall
Shannon Sullivan's first-person column about the experience:
www.spokesmanreview.com/jimwest/story.asp?ID=120705_sullivancol

John Gastil

John Gastil's Web Site
Gastil shares some details about his work and life
Click here to view the site

Citizens Initiative Review Web Site
This site explains the purpose and goals of the CIR, or which Gastil is a member.
Click here to view the site

Taking the initiative
Recent reaserch shows that Washington voters are confused and misinformed about the laws they are voting for.
Read the story

RESOURCES FOR NADINE STROSSEN

To help your classes get the most out of the keynote speech by ACLU President Nadine Strossen, here are a few links to court cases, news stories, etc., you might want to assign as companion readings.

ACLU lawsuits currently in the news:


10 Commandments at the courthouse

Analysis by the First Amendment Center with links to the Supreme Court rulings

Commentary about the IRS cracking down on political speech from the pulpit

In God's Name: Articles in this 4-part New York Times series examine how American religious organizations benefit from an increasingly accommodating government; many churches defend their actions on First Amendment grounds.

Seattle's WTO protests

WTO Settlement: In September, the city of Seattle agreed to pay a $75,000 settlement to two WTO protesters in a suit brought by the ACLU.

Original Suit: In 2004, the city settled with many others for $250,000, or $1,000 to $1,500 per plaintiff.


Flag Burning

Senate decision: Earlier this summer, the U.S. Senate narrowly defeated a constitutional amendment to ban flag desecration, opposed by the ACLU.

RESOURCES FOR CHUCK D AND MC LYTE

To help your classes get the most out of the program by Hip-Hop artists Chuck D and MC Lyte, here are a few links you might want to assign as companion readings:

Seattle P-I MC Lyte Feature: The Oct. 18 Seattle P-I ran an interesting feature on female rappers, highlighting MC Lyte.

"Speaking Freely": In 2001, Chuck D was the guest on the First Amendment-related show "Speaking Freely." He decried the violence and mysogny of much of today's rap music but also laid blame on the record companies. "Record companies are saying, 'We can't sell songs that don't play into the role of gangsters.' Intelligence is being downplayed," he said.

Los Angeles Sentinel Chuck D column: Here's Chuck D's column about the Hip Hop Action Summit for the Los Angeles Sentinel.