FCC Research Guides: A Brief Guide to Free Speech and Expression: Free Speech & Expression

FCC Students' Right to Free Speech

FCC Code of Student Conduct Policy and Procedures: Student Rights and Responsibilities (pp.5)
"Students have the right to freedom of speech, assembly, advocacy, and inquiry. . . to offer opposing opinions and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion. . . to reserve judgment about their views, beliefs, academic evaluations, political affiliations, and educational records." (pp.5)

Common Interpretations of Freedom of Speech and the Press
From the National Constitution Center. This webpage also discusses "Fixing Free Speech," and "Frontiers of Free Speech."
Freedom of Speech
An overview of the meaning of "Freedom of Speech" from the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law(Vol. 4. 4th ed.; 2023)
What Does Free Speech Mean?
This page includes "examples of speech, both direct (words) and symbolic (actions), that the Court has decided are either entitled to First Amendment protections, or not."

Are Legislators and Activists Curbing Free Expression?
A pro/con article about free speech on campus, from CQ Researcher.
Should Public School Students Have Broad Free Speech Rights?
A pro/con article about student free speech rights, from the Issues & Controversies database.
Should Social Media Companies Do More to Combat Disinformation and Extremism on Their Platforms?
A pro/con article about social media and free speech, from the Issues & Controversies database.
A Variety of Free Speech Viewpoints
From the Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context database. Explore this list of almost 50 viewpoints on free speech over the last ten years.

Freedom of Speech (Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School)
"Even though freedom of speech is protected from infringement by the government, the government is still free to restrict speech in certain circumstances."
Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment (Congressional Research Service Report, 2014)
The prohibition on abridgment of the freedom of speech is not absolute. Certain types of speech may be prohibited outright. Some types of speech may be more easily constrained than others. Furthermore, speech may be more easily regulated depending upon the location at which it takes place.

Hate Speech (American Library Association)
"There is no legal definition of 'hate speech' under U.S. law, just as there is no legal definition for evil ideas, rudeness, unpatriotic speech, or any other kind of speech that people might condemn."
Hate Speech (Gale Ebooks)
An encyclopedic overview of what "hate speech is, from American Governance (Vol. 3.; 2016).

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Free Speech
"The ACLU has worked since 1920 to ensure that freedom of speech is protected for everyone."
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)
"Since its founding more than two decades ago as the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, FIRE has become the nation’s leading defender of fundamental rights on college campuses."
Freedom Forum: Freedom of Speech
"The Freedom Forum is the nation’s foremost advocate for First Amendment freedoms. Each year, we engage thousands of Americans in classes, conversations and celebrations of these essential rights that make the United States a beacon of freedom."
National Coalition Against Censorship
"We promote freedom of thought and inquiry and oppose censorship. When controversy occurs, we encourage and facilitate dialogue between divergent voices and perspectives, including those that have historically been silenced."