Home >The Study > About > Understanding of the Law

Profile of Student Attitudes subsections -
Classes / Activities / Community participation / College plans / Tolerance and Knowledge of First Amendment / Student - Teacher - Principal - Adult differences / Freedom of speech / Freedom of press / First Amendment education /
Understanding of the Law / Trust in journalists / Sources of news

Download PDF of this section

A Profile of Student Attitudes

Understanding of the law:  

Most (76 percent) of the high school students surveyed think that it is illegal to burn or deface the United States flag as a form of protest. However, this controversial practice is currently protected as a form of free speech under the First Amendment (i.e., it is not currently illegal to burn or deface the American flag as a means of political protest). Four in 10 teachers (40 percent) and 3 in 10 (31 percent) principals also believe that Americans do not have the legal right to burn the American flag as a means of political protest. In comparison, a majority of the national adult population (58 percent) believe it is illegal to burn the flag as a means of political protest.

	This web site is produced by J-IDEAS
	J-IDEAS is funded in part by the John S. and James  L. Knight Foundation's High School Initiative and Ball State University.		J-IDEAS Department ofJournalism Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. 47306 (765) 285-8923 Terms of Service