Members from team 3 produced a 30 second psa (public service announcement) for the rtndf 5 freedoms contest.  Winners will be announced in february.

(excerpt below from the rtndf contest site on www.schooltube.com)

The First Amendment is only 45 words long, but it’s more than just a document. It’s a living, breathing set of principles that changes meaning as the courts interpret it.

How does that affect you? Consider questions like these:

    * Can the government restrict people from making jokes that trivialize tragedies like the World Trade Center attacks?

    * Are you in a public school? Can school officials search your locker? Make you wear a uniform? Tell you what to say in a student news broadcast?

    * In a time when school safety is an issue of great concern, how are students’ rights of free expression balanced with the need to protect students and teachers?

What will happen to the First Amendment in your lifetime?

The more you know about the Five Freedoms, the better you can exercise your rights and responsibilities as a student and as a citizen. In January 2005, the Knight Foundation surveyed more than 100,000 teens and issued a report about high school students’ understanding of their First Amendment freedoms. What the students said might surprise you.

    * Nearly 75% of students surveyed say they don’t know how they feel about the First Amendment, or say that they take it for granted.

    * Students are less likely than adults to think that people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions.

    * Students are less likely than adults to believe that newspapers should be allowed to publish stories without government approval.

    * 75% of students admitted they lack knowledge about key aspects of the First Amendment, or don’t fully understand its protections.

Let’s change those numbers!

In today’s world of global communication, the use – and possible abuse – of the Internet has opened up many new areas of First Amendment concern. So has the increasing role of religion in politics. These issues, and others, will affect your future.

Your First Amendment Rights: Use 'em or Lose 'em!