Learn with FIRE provides learners with the opportunity to take courses on a wide range of topics, including free speech and due process, designed by our expert staff. Check out our library of resources below to get started on your First Amendment journey!
This course is designed for student journalists. FOIA is an acronym that stands for Freedom of Information Act, which is a federal law guaranteeing your access to information from federal agencies. It’s often also used as a catchall to refer more broadly to the larger body of law which establishes this guarantee. Take this course to learn about FOIA and how you can request information from the government in order to better inform your reporting.
Welcome to the History of Free Speech from FIRE and The Nomadic Professor! If you’re here, FIRE probably needs no introduction: the premier free speech defense organization in the country. FIRE has recently expanded its mission from the college campus to the broader public, with three main areas of focus: litigation, public education, and research. We hope this course will go some way toward the goal of public education about free speech and its role
This course is designed for student journalists. Libel? Privacy? Intellectual property?! When you’re producing a publication, there are so many legal risks to keep in mind. But don’t fear! We’ll go over tips and tricks for conducting a self-directed prepublication review, that is, how to analyze your own content to keep you out of the courtroom and in the newsroom. This course is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or mean that
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This unit reviews the unique inheritance of basic rights and freedoms bestowed on all American citizens by our founding documents, which draw from Enlightenment conceptions of liberty and individual human dignity. It also covers the essential role of open discourse and reasoning in examining evidence and seeking truth.
When it comes to free speech, there’s always plenty to discuss and learn. This lesson explores some of the current controversies around free speech in education through various activities, videos, DBQs, and discussion-focused questions. Students will learn about some of the most popular arguments against free speech and how to respond to them, as well as why it can be important to voice your opinion, even if it’s an unpopular one.
Free speech rights have proven themselves essential in securing a fair hearing for demands for justice and equal Constitutional protection for marginalized groups and isolated, targeted individuals throughout U.S. history. This module examines the crucial role of free speech in the Abolitionist, Women’s Suffrage, and Civil Rights movements.
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The FIRE Free Speech Leadership Summit is a free, week-long summer program for college-bound rising 9th through 12th graders who are interested in free speech. The summit will take place at Temple University in Philadelphia from June 23-29, 2024. Applications close April 30.
For over 20 years, FIRE has defended the right to free speech and expression. Now we’re encouraging alumni to join us in this battle to preserve these core values at their alma maters. Take this course to learn how to build, grow, and maintain an alumni group to support free expression at your alma mater.
FIRE’s Student Outreach team works to provide students with the tools they need to practice activism at their schools. We do that in a few ways. First, we give students the opportunity to join the FIRE Student Network, a coalition of students who recognize the importance of advancing civil liberties on their campuses. Joining FSN is a great way to keep yourself informed about ways you can be an advocate for individual liberties.
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