Join FIRE Monday at the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication conference and get first look at a new undergraduate free speech coursebook

Attending this year’s Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference in Washington D.C.? Join us at the FIRE-sponsored panel “Teaching Free Speech Principles in 2018” on Monday, Aug. 6 at 11:45 a.m. Attendees will get an exclusive first look at, and chance to receive, an advanced e-book copy of a new undergraduate free speech coursebook.

The panel, led by Harold S. Shefelman Scholar at the University of Washington School of Law and FIRE First Amendment Library Editor-in-Chief Ronald K.L. Collins, will discuss the importance of and challenges surrounding integrating free speech principles into journalism and communications courses.

Joining Collins will be FIRE Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Advocacy Will Creeley; FIRE legal fellow and Belmont University College of Law professor David L. Hudson Jr.; Stephen D. Solomon of New York University Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and First Amendment Watch; and Joseph Russomanno of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

During the panel, attendees will get a chance to preview “First Things First: A Modern Coursebook on Free Speech Fundamentals.” The coursebook, prepared by Collins, Creeley, and Hudson, aims to engage students through multimedia resources and compelling narratives about the history of free speech. Integrating video explainers, podcasts, and even a Spotify playlist to accompany the chapter on censorship in the music industry, this e-book aims to hold students’ attention and show how free speech principles relate to students’ everyday lives and future careers.

Not a fan of e-books? When released, the coursebook will also be available in print and accompanied by a free-to-access webpage with the complete collection of resources referenced as well as new content, articles on current events relating to the topics covered, study tools, and a teacher’s manual.

From breaking down the 45 words in the First Amendment, press freedoms, and the civil rights movement, to the challenges facing free speech in wartime, advertising, and even the question of how artificial intelligence will impact First Amendment law, this book will have something for everyone. Projected to be priced under $5 for digital download, this e-book is gearing up to be an accessible addition to any course relating to free speech in the United States.

We hope to see you Monday!

In need of First Amendment resources for teachers? The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has you covered. Our “First Things First” First Amendment textbook for college undergraduates explores the fundamentals of modern American free speech law. Meanwhile, our K-12 First Amendment curriculum modules help educators enrich and supplement their existing instruction on First Amendment and freedom of expression issues in middle and high school classrooms. Explore thefire.org for even more First Amendment educational resources.