Graduates shortchanged

Charles Hayes has posted a terrific opinion piece this week on the First Amendment Center's Web site. He argues that high-school seniors are graduating this month "with little or no idea about what it means to be a free, active and engaged citizen in a democracy."

The reason? Censorship in a multitude of forms, usually attributable to cowardice.

... the widespread practice of censoring the political and religious views of students simply because their speech might offend someone or might be controversial contradicts everything schools are supposed to teach about freedom of expression.

Anyway, it's a persuasive argument that schools can't very well teach the First Amendment and then not let their students practice it. Great fodder for local columns or editorials. Or, simply send a copy to your local school administrators.