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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
District designated as First Amendment School Students trained in rights, responsibilities and his BY ELISE PEARLMAN It can be said that no rights are more fundamental to Americans than the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition that are promised by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In June, the Northport-East Northport School District was designated as a First Amendment School. joining the select rank of 17 schools across the country commit- ted to affirming fundamental democratic principles and putting them into action. David Scott, Coordinator of P. A TC.H. (Participatory Awareness through Community Help, applied for the three-year designation, which comes with a yearly stipend of $10,000. The total $30,000 in funds are dedi- cated to promote programs that deepen students' under- standing of the ideals and values associated with the First Amendment. The project is to be a unified K-12 program involv- ing three schools: Pulaski Road Elementary School, East Northport Middle School and Northport High School. with the district becoming the first in the coun- try to enter the First Amendment Schools project in this fashion, Scott said. The First Amendment Schools project is cosponsored by the First Amendment Center and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, an organiza- uon that advocates educational excellence and reform. According to the First Amendment center's vision state- ment, these liberties should not be taken for granted, as the country's history continues to recount an \ongoing struggle to extend the promise of freedom more fully and fairly to each and every citizen.\ Scott said that if we are to have civecally and socially responsible citizens, it is essential to focus on schools, one of the arenas where children first form these values. Scott pointed to the results of a two-year, million-dol- lar study of more than 100,000 students in high schools across the country. The survey, conducted by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, indicated that American high school students are lagging in their understanding of the First Amendment. particularly the rights of free press and free speech. The Northport-East Northport School District has not shown tory of citizenship Fae ~ Photo by Elise Pearman Students at Pulaski Road Elementary School in East Northport. which participates in the First Amendment Schools program, pledge allegiance to the flag, an activity that is also a choice protected under the Constitution Amendment and related Supreme Court cases Scott said that the training emphasizes knowledge of the First Amendment and of the democratic process Topics such as the guidelines for student publications and dress code may be used to engage students in rele vant civic discourse While our nation may be divided along polita al and regronal lines. Scott siad \what defines us as Amencans is how we signs of following this trend. go about resolving our differ according to Scott. The importance of freedom _ ences\ emphasizing the import \'This community has always of the press is brought tance of respecting and defending had a strong commitment to civic the right to express opposing education.\ Scott said. citing the Home as fifth-graders views district's K-12 law program that has been a national model since 1975. \We have one of the finest re-enact the trial of John Peter Zenger, jailed in 1734 Kelly Newman, assistant super intendent | for Instruction - and Administration, acknowledged the districts in the nation when it for publishing articles district's - comnmutment. | saying. comes to civic education. It's \a* | & \We are honored to have been another mark of excellence for critical of the colonial selected and we look forward to this district.\ governor of New York. thr program with From the outset. he said, the great enthusiasm ~ Andrew Manzo, district chair local district was a \great fit\ for the First Amendment Sehools pro- ject. indicating that it was chosen as an alternate in 2002. Re-application last spring led to Northport-East Northport's selection. Scott is particularly excited uniting the three schools' efforts to bring the First Amendment Schools project's vision statement to life. \There are no set curricula or expectations,\ Scott said. \Within the three-year peniod, we can create what is uniquely our own.\ The program's success depends on the enthusiasm and commitment of the administration, staff and stu- dents, he said. Scott, along with a group of staff mem- bers and administrators, attended training sessions in Arlington, Virginia where they learmed about the First man for Social Studies K 12, attended a program spensored by, The National Paidera Center geared towards traming administrators for involvement in First Amendment Schools project. Manzo indicated that meetings are already developing activities, such as having high school students create skits to be performed at East Northport Middle School that will enable \students to learn from other students.\ \It is very exciting.\ Manzo said, commending Scott's work in applying for and obtaining the grant. Manzo added that implementing the program will cut across disciplines, citing the efforts of Northport High School teachers Alecia Atlas (English). Janet Byler Science) and Stacey Schults (Sexial Studies and the Envuironment Team) who all trained at the hirst Amendment Center East Northport Middle: School Principal Joanne Kroon said her staft is commutted to teaching the nghts and - responsibilities - guaranteed - under the - harst Amendment. - indicating - that Brendan: Colter. the a hoofs computer specialist. as coordinating the pro gram | Events have included Constitution Day during which the Preamble was read and students «considered the hk’\\!ng\ and comnts of demectaey Students were shown a flag that had flown over the Black Hawk heh copter base in Atghanistan and were read a thank you note: addressed to those servemen - Art tea her Thus Pham-Gelies and Paul Neumann. a sixth grade teacher were among the nuddle: shool staft members who trained at the hirst Amendment Center in Juls Rob Jacobs. a school counselor and student council advisor. sard that the student body at hast \Northport Middle: School recently received hands on traming in ort fespoimibility as they rsiewed debates amming sin \teams\ of students competing for roles in student gon ernment on Tiger TV They vated a tew days later Pulaski Road. Rlementary: School Principat tot Birkeland, who trained at the First Amendment Center in July. along with reading specialist Lauren Karpt. spoke of the challenges of making connections between farst Amendment nights and what they allow us to do at the primary level He stressed that these freedoms figure into the publication ot the Piédaske Press: Each year, the importance of freedom of the press is brought home as fifth-graders re-enact the tmal of John Peter Zenger paled in 1734 for publishing articles critical of the volo mal governor of New York Term Hoschel and her daughter. Krystal. who had just graduated from fifth grade. represented both Pulaski School and East Northport Middle School during the training session at the First Amendment Center Scott noted that in all cases. the traning was paid for by the grant. with no cost to the school district It is his hope, he said, that the local district will serve as both \a model for excellence in instruction and com munity involvement and will inspire other school com munities to make the same commutment.\ \While these three schools are in the pathway.\ he said, \I feel that all the schools in the district will bene fit from the relationship with the First Amendment Schools Program.\
