Religious aspect of First Amendment unknown

PHILADELPHIA — The nation’s undergraduates are mostly ignorant about the First Amendment’s proclamation about freedom of religion, a survey shows.

A survey released Nov. 20 by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education found that 30 percent of students overall named freedom of religion when they were asked to name any of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

But when asked to specify which freedom is addressed first in the amendment, 10 percent of public college students and 5 percent of  private college students correctly said freedom of religion.

“If the American experiment in liberty is to survive, citizens must both keep alive and cherish the free exchange of ideas, values and convictions,” said Alan Charles Kores, president of the foundation, in a statement. “These survey results are disheartening, but they  unfortunately are not surprising.”

Far more students overall — 73 percent — mentioned freedom of speech when asked to name any specific right guaranteed by the First Amendment. Twenty percent cited right of assembly and association and 6 percent mentioned the right to petition.