Lesson plan

Lesson Plan: Who Gets to Regulate #*%&? Free Speech in Popular Culture (E.L.A.)

The question of whether ideas expressed in popular culture can be harmful to children has a history stretching back to Plato and Aristotle. In the 1950s, concern about crime, sex and horror in comic books led to strict limits under the Comics Code Authority. Then in the 1980s, a well-connected group of parents raised alarms over sex, drugs and violence in rock lyrics, and the music industry responded with warning labels. Today on college campuses, some students are seeking to cancel speakers with controversial opinions, and are calling for warnings on potentially sensitive course materials. In this video, we explore efforts to set boundaries on free speech when some people find it offensive.

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