The First Amendment is more than just a document; it's a living, breathing set of principles. Whether you're a student, teacher or community member, there are several ways you can bring the First Amendment to life in your school:

There are two types of schools in the FAS Network: Affiliate Schools and Project Schools.

The FAS Affiliate Program gives schools a less intensive entryway into the larger work of FAS. It allows school communities to identify themselves with the FAS aims of educating for freedom and responsibility, and provides them with useful resources to help them in their daily work.

FAS Project Schools receive a three-year grant stipend of $36,000, and commit to transform their schools and develop new models for democratic education.

Now that you've identified how your school practices the First Amendment, pick one or two areas around which there is broad-based consensus that change is needed. Write a goal statement that clearly expresses what you want to achieve and brainstorm action steps that will get you there. You may want to use the FAS Action Plan template as a guide.

View sample school policies that adhere to the principles of the the First Amendment. Work to help your school adopt new policies that strengthen student free expression, encourage responsible behavior, and protect liberty of conscience.

Click here to read about other ways you can begin working to create a laboratory of democratic freedom at your school.