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The Freedom Of Speech

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It is timely to consider the benefits and abuses of adolescent's free speech in school in this era when false news stories, that are nothing more than opinion have escalated and the freedom of the press is so often under attack. The freedom of speech is a core principle and right given to the American people under the Constitution. This freedom ensures the continuing development of democracy, as well as many other freedoms that our nation can easily take for granted. Institutions of free speech and freedom of press ensure that the truth is exposed and that ideas improve (Stark & Soltis, 2015). However, John Mill in his essay, “On Liberty,” points out that these same freedoms are cut back for minors still in the care of their parents (as …show more content…
For example, kids cannot have a driver’s license until they have reached an age where they can demonstrate responsibility, even if they have the capacity to actually drive a car. We do not allow citizens to buy alcohol until they are twenty-one years old and kids need to stay in school until they are eighteen. Children are protected by these constraints to their freedom with the understanding that parents and teachers are responsible for many aspects of their behavior until children reach adulthood. Boundaries give kids a clear idea of what they should and should not do. The thought that young people can learn the value of the freedom of speech by having complete autonomy is …show more content…
The public faces a daily bombardment of stories that in reality are nothing more than opinion, faintly based in reality, feigning as real news. People have to now take the time to find reputable sources and research the things they see or read on the news, which is leading to the complete undermining of confidence in a free and independent press. Mills foretold the dangerous consequences of the lack of reasoning and judgement that is now occurring in the public square and the risk that our faculties be reduced “to the ape-like one of imitation” (Strike, et.al, 2015, p.52). However, Mills could not have foreseen the 24-hour cable news channels that silence the incredibly valuable practice of debate and criticism of ideas but only spout opinions that fall in line with partisan beliefs silencing any opposing viewpoints. Our society needs to embrace the testing of ideas through debate in order to discover the truth that our personal prejudices can blind us to (Strike, et.al, 2015). It seems that although our society touts our freedom of speech, we stand at the edge of becoming a people that allow the dogma to become a “mere formal profession...cumbering the ground and preventing the growth of any real heartfelt conviction from reason or personal experiences” (as cited in Strike, et.al., 2015, p.51). Publishing a personally motivated, vindictive hit-piece in

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