Student Self-Expression PSA

My Public Service Announcement (PSA) is focused on Student Expression - the RIGHTS and Responsibilities of this powerful tool.  I did attempt to show a balance in my PSA by pointing out what the First Amendment does not protect an individual against.  That's because while I believe our students should be able to express themselves, we should be showing them the correct usage of the First Amendment - how to be a respectful and responsible citizen.

Intended Audience

The intended audience for this PSA is the student.  My beginning title frame shows an individual with their mouth taped shut, the American Flag, and the words, "Freedom of Expression:  A Student's Right and Responsibility."  These 3 items together are intended to produce shock value because at least 1 item (the picture of the woman with her mouth taped shut) seems contradictory.  I also used a suspenseful and inspirational song - Epic Story by the artist Dreamer to hook the audience.  The question:  "What is student expression?" on slide 2 was intended to pull in not only the audience but specifically a student audience.  I also added specific cases, along with dates to show that this is an issue that is being questioned by the law.

Persuasive Techniques

I definitely used fear as a persuasion technique.  We are terrified of losing our Freedoms and basic Rights.  I touched down on a fairly hot topic - Freedom of Speech, our First Amendment.  I upped the intensity by highlighting, using bold type, and special fonts to point out Freedom and Rights deficits.  I used plain folks that were tied up in loss of the Freedom of Speech by pointing out specific cases from 1969-2010.  I used symbols such as images that show loss of freedom (taped mouths, screaming students, and abused student) to by out intensity.  Timing is involved in this message but only because there are certain Freedoms that we are defensive about.  Freedom of Speech arguments seem timeless since it is a basic human Right that has been argued since Socrates mentioned it in 399 BC.

As a Mother

As a mother, I try to make sure my kids can express themselves reasonably.  Often that means they like to wear artistic images of skeletons and dye their hair unnatural colors - all of which falls under gray laws in student self-expression in schools and are susceptible to suspension and expulsion.  This worries me in a day and age when we finally realized that creativity is the key to becoming a successful adult that can think outside the box in our growing international economy.  However, if our students are not free to think for themselves, then we essentially stifle their creativity and produce students who have trouble with critical higher level thinking skills.

Citations

Calister, D. (2011, June 3). 7 things you can’t claim first amendment rights to say. Retrieved from http://debmcalister.com/2011/06/03/7-things-you-cant-claim-first-amendment-rights-to-say/

Center for Public Education. (2006).  Free speech and public school.  Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/The-law-and-its-influence-on-public-school-districts-An-overview/Free-speech-and-public-schools.html

DoSomething.Org. (n.d.). 11 facts about free speech. Retrieved from https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-free-speech

FindLaw.com. (n.d.). First amendment - u.s. constitution; first amendment - religion and expression. Retrieved from http://constitution.findlaw.com/amendment1.html

First Amendment Schools. (n.d.). Speech. Retrieved from http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/faq.aspx?id=12994

First Amendment Schools. (n.d.). What are the free expression rights of students in public schools under the First Amendment?  Retrieved from http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/faq.aspx?id=12991

Kritsonis PhD, W. A. (n.d.). Student expression. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/Will1945/student-expression-dr-wa-kritsonis?related=1