214.977.6658

The First Amendment Institute to hold meeting in Dallas

The First Amendment Institute, an annual program of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, begins its 2004 series March 5-6 in Dallas.

Belo Corporation is providing the space for the group to meet and Prime Art and Jewel is sponsoring breakfast and breaks for the participants each day.

The goal of The FAI is to provide a select group of individuals a year of in-depth, graduate-level study of the importance and applications of our First Amendment, its relationship to freedom of information and its implications for our democracy.

First in the series will be a study of the freedom of speech.  The session will focus on establishing theoretical justifications for free speech and introduce the jurisprudential foundations of First Amendment cases involving free expression.  The program is designed to introduce the timeless concepts that give free speech its robust constitutional protection while bringing the questions of today, and even tomorrow, into focus.

Session instructors are Dr. Charles N. Davis, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Center and associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism; and Dr. Paul H. Gates, Jr., associate professor of Communication at Appalachian State University.

The opportunity to participate in this yearlong study of the First Amendment is open to all.  If you are interested in applying for the 2005 class, or sponsoring a member of your staff or organization, please contact the FOIFT offices at 214.977.6658, via e-mail at foift@airmail.net or visit our Web site at www.foift.org.

The FOIFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supported through grants and tax-deductible donations from private citizens, corporations and foundations.

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