Applying the First Amendment in modern times

20160224-fc-1stamend001 — [/media-credit] To celebrate the rights given in the first amendment, the Feather polled FC students to see how well they knew their five freedoms.

Almost 225 years ago, the United States adopted the First Amendment. This amendment allowed Americans to freely speak their mind, write whatever they wanted, freely worship, petition and peacefully protest. Today’s modern society is still protected by those rights instituted in 1791, but how many Americans actually know all of their freedoms and rights?

The Feather recently took a poll of the FC high school and junior high students to see how many students knew their basic rights and freedoms stated in the first amendment. The junior high history teacher, Hallie Rojeski gave her insight on the first amendment and why she teaches her students the rights and freedoms stated in the first amendment.

“My eighth grade history class being American History spend six weeks on the constitution,” Rojeski said. “Part of that is studying the Bill of Rights and I’ve focused primarily on amendment one because I do feel like freedom of speech, press and religion are extremely important and they need to understand those. If you don’t know them, you can lose them very easily.”

English and drama teacher at FC, Kyle Dodson, is going on his third year teaching at FC. Dodson has taught English 9 and 11 and high school and elementary drama.

“It wasn’t really until my senior year in high school when I took my government class that I really understood and interpreted the first amendment,” Dodson said. “There wasn’t really any reason why I remember the first amendment, it’s just one of those facts from school you never forget like the quadratic formula and the mitochondria. In our changing culture, I’ve become more uncomfortable in regards to displaying my sense of religion.”

Teaching 27 years at FC, Rojeski has taught a variety of classes at FC. In the past, Rojeski taught eighth grade English, drama, home economics and computers. Currently Rojeski teaches seventh and eighth grade history, JH leadership and JH bible.

I feel like it’s very important to know your rights because we are often put into situations in school and the real world where authorities may try and take advantage of you. I don’t think my rights were ever violated however. Fresno Christian is good at letting you speak your mind in respectful ways. America would be very different without the first amendment. — Devin Pitts

“It is very important to know your rights, that’s why the first amendment isn’t only about freedoms, but also the two rights mentioned,” Rojeski said. “The right to peacefully assemble and the right to petition your government. People need to know that, so they don’t feel hopeless and they don’t feel like the government is ruling them. Without the first amendment, America would become a dictatorship and tyrannical with people being fearful of what they could say.”

A campus freshman, Austin Duffy, ’19, is a proud American and knows his freedoms and rights stated in the first amendment. Rojeski taught Duffy his freedoms and rights stated in the first amendment.

“Mrs. Rojeski taught me the rights and freedoms stated in the first amendment,” Duffy said. “As an American it is important to know your rights because people and the government may try to take advantage of you and violate your rights and freedoms. The first amendment is one of the most important rights that we possess because without it, we would not be able to speak our mind, petition the government, peacefully assemble, choose our own religion, and have the ability to write freely.”

20160224-fc-amendment-001 — [/media-credit] One of the five freedoms that is particularly dear to the Feather is freedom of press, which grants the staff the ability to publish freely.

Devin Pitts, ’18, believes it is important to know your rights although he does not know them currently. Pitts has never encountered a situation where he felt his first amendment freedoms and rights were violated.

“I currently do not know all of my rights and freedoms stated in the first amendment,” Pitts said. “I feel like it’s very important to know your rights because we are often put into situations in school and the real world where authorities may try and take advantage of you. I don’t think my rights were ever violated however. Fresno Christian is good at letting you speak your mind in respectful ways. America would be very different without the first amendment.”

Julie Donis, ’17, appreciates the rights and freedoms the first amendment grants Americans. In the past, Donis has encountered problems with teachers not allowing her to excersie her rights and freedoms

“I think it is important to know your rights because if someone tries to shut you down for voicing your opinion, the Amendment gives you the right to do that,” Donis said. “We have the right to assemble and petition the government, I think a lot of times people forget that and think that this is how we have to live. Without the First Amendment, I think we would be a communist country and I don’t think we would have a say in anything. At my old school, I didn’t have the right to tell my teacher that I didn’t want to learn something because they were talking about abortion. They kept me in the classroom and sent me to detention for putting in earphones and not listening to the lecture.”

A junior higher, Matthew Peterson, ’20, knows his first amendment rights. Peterson credits his knowledge of the first amendment to Rojeski’s American History class.

“Mrs. Rojeski taught me the rights and freedoms listed in the first amendment,” Peterson said. “She helped me remember the freedoms by reviewing them a lot in class while we were studying the constitution. It is important for Americans to know their rights. Without the first amendment, I think people would try to force other people into a religion and people would not get to express themselves.”