Leveled Readings / Schenck v. United States
Leveled reading · key passage
Schenck v. United States
Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Schenck v. United States (1919)
These are adaptations, not the original. The original wording is always shown first. Each adapted version restates the same passage at about a grade 4, grade 7, or grade 10 reading level without adding or removing ideas. Quote the original in student writing.
Original wording
“…would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.”
Adapted · about grade 4
Free speech does not protect someone who yells 'fire!' in a theater when there is no fire.
Adapted · about grade 7
Free speech would not protect a man who falsely shouts 'fire' in a theater and causes panic.
Adapted · about grade 10
Free speech protections would not shield a man who falsely shouts fire in a theater and causes a panic.