Speech: First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Freedom

Hook: How much do you value your freedom? How would you feel if where ever you go, there are always restrictions being made stopping you from doing or saying whatever you want, even if you had every single right to do so? (Back Ground Info)
Claim: As young people our freedom of speech should not be limited because It is a natural right, we must be allowed our individuality, and what we do off campus should be our own personal business.

1) (Topic Sentence):
Speech is God’s gift to mankind. Through speech a human being conveys his thoughts, sentiments and feelings to others. Freedom of expression is a natural right, which a human being aquires on birth. It is, therefore, a basic right.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly and petition. The First Amendment reads as follows:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (Source A)
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but the First Amendment not only applies to the congress and federal government but also to each and every single American citizen, which I believe includes students, in, or out of school campus.

2) Body Paragraph(creativity): The US values creative thinking as critical to a productive economy. Furthermore, freedom of expression is a fundamental right upon which our country is founded. Schools should not stifle creativity or freedom of expression by restricting certain clothes, accessories, and censoring our speech. Most schools often encourage individuality and want students to

3) School is stressful enough for teens when they’re at school, and it is completely unreasonable and out of line to suspend a student when he or she is not on school grounds. After a long day at school, students want to escape all the stress and just get away from anything that has to do with academics and usually relive their stress by going online or playing video games. I believe that Students should NOT have to worry about any of their teachers creeping up on their PERSONAL blogs and websites. Laura Iacovacci, a 16 year old junior at Paramus High School; she like many students have a Myspace, Twitter, or Facebook etc. and had been posting and making rude comments about one of her classmates. When Laura had returned to school she was suspended for more than three days by her Principal. Laura’s principal argues that “Unlike a conversation that might take place on an email or on the telephone, these sites are accessible to the public so, yes it can be harmful to students when others are posting things about them that are hurtful.” Although I agree with the principal that posting about someone on their blogs can be very hurtful towards the victim, that doesn’t give any school district the right to basically stalk a students life outside of school for the protection of the other students. There are many other alternatives to solving those problems. The victim can simply block the user, or tell their parents, and their parents will handle it. Schools and teachers act like they have to be a parent to each and every one of their students and protect them, but they must realize that they have their own parents that can handle those types of situations for them, WITHOUT creating a much bigger scene or making the situation bigger than it needs to be.

4) Body Paragraph: (agree): However, to a certain extent, I must admit that limitations to freedom of expression should be enrolled to prevent disruption and student chaos.

Conclusion: Punishing a student for exercising their rights is complete BULLSHIT! My peers and I have just as much right to the first amendment as anyone, and will always apply to us no matter where we are! In or OUT of school! No school should ever take away what our founding fathers FOUGHT for us to have!

the more the authorities try and restrict and limit the rights of any American citizen, the more they will stand up and rebel.