FIRE is bringing the Free Speech Forum to the West Coast!

FIRE and Stanford University will host a one-day Free Speech Forum for high school juniors and seniors on Saturday, March 20, bringing FIRE’s popular program to the West Coast for the first time.

'We are thrilled to join FIRE, which has steadfastly maintained the importance of speech on campuses, to bring awareness of related issues to high schoolers in the Bay Area.'

The new event builds on FIRE’s successful weeklong Free Speech Forum, hosted at American University in Washington, D.C., giving students an opportunity to explore free expression alongside attorneys, professors, and other experts.

“In recent years, Stanford has launched university-wide efforts to enhance the speech climate on campus, including the ePluribus project and a new free speech guide by students for students,” said Bernadette Meyler, Carl and Sheila Spaeth Professor of Law and special advisor to the provost on university speech. “We are thrilled to join FIRE, which has steadfastly maintained the importance of speech on campuses, to bring awareness of related issues to high schoolers in the Bay Area.”

Students will work on speech cases with FIRE attorneys and Stanford University faculty to learn what speech is (and isn’t) protected by the First Amendment. Programming will include an introduction to the First Amendment, discussions with leaders in the free speech field, and interactive exercises focused on speech controversies. By the end of the Forum, students should be able to explain First Amendment principles, work through case law, make an argument for protecting speech they disagree with, and feel more prepared to discuss free expression in their own schools and communities.

“High school students are encountering complicated questions about speech in their classrooms, on social media, and in their communities,” said Molly Nocheck, FIRE’s vice president of Student Development. “The Free Speech Forum gives them a place to explore those questions and develop the tools to think through what free speech actually means. We’re excited to bring that experience to the West Coast with Stanford.”

The event is free to attend and open to high school juniors and seniors. Students and families interested in learning more can visit FIRE’s website for updates on eligibility, applications, and program details.

Apply now!