Day 6 - To make up for lost time, we've gotta get to work ASAP!

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain how the U.S. Constitution protects individual liberties and rights.
• Describe the rights protected in the Bill of Rights.
• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty.

Through the U.S. Constitution, but primarily through the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment, citizens and groups have attempted to limit national and state governments to prevent them from infringing upon individual rights and from denying equal protection under the law. 

However, it has sometimes been argued that these legal protections have been used to slow reforms and restrict freedoms of others in the name of social order.

Opener:  ASAP

No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

• 14th Amendment - Ratified in 1868

Activity #1 -  Civil Rights Mini-Lecture

• Reconstruction and Jim Crow
• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
• Does segregation violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment?
• Homer Plessy purchased a ticket for, and sat in, a rail car reserved for white passengers
• Court found segregation constitutional
• Establishes "separate but equal" standard
• Brown v. Board of Ed (1954)
• Can "separate" be "equal"?
• Segregated Schools
• Plessy reversed
• Separate is inherently unequal 

• Suffrage and Civil Disobedience
• Boycotts, sit-ins, marches
• Focus on peaceful demonstration and use of the media 
• Montgomery Bus Boycott, March on Washington, Birmingham 

• Civil Rights Legislation 
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Makes discrimination in any place of "public accommodation" illegal
• Private clubs and organizations not included
• Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972
• Focus on equality for women in education and athletics 
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Removes any obstacles and requirements designed to discourage voting

Activity #2 - Create a timeline in your notebook that correctly orders the following events.

• Slavery is abolished
• Voting age changed to 18
• Women granted the right to vote
• Brown v. Board of Education
• 14th Amendment
• Civil Rights Act of 1964

Activity #3 - Scenarios - Which of the civil rights acts or precedents that we have discussed, if any, are being violated in the scenarios below?

1. A local chapter of the boy scouts refuse the admission of girls.
2. A private catholic school refuses to admit a Protestant student.
3. Two boys decide to try out for the girl's volleyball team.
4. An owner of a chain of Cuban restaurants will only hire Cuban chefs.
5. Congress passes a bill that requires Selective Service registration to vote.
6. Clay county requires a paid property tax receipt for voter registration.

Close:  Student CWE presentations

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Day 5 - Supreme Court Simulation Prep Part II - B day ONLY

"Being on the Supreme Court is rather like taking the veil; you just sit there and try to get the right answer as other people argue in front of you. It's not nearly as exhilarating as the Executive Branch."

--Justice Antonin Scalia at Columbus Citizens Foundation dinner, Oct. 8, 2005

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
• Explain how other branches in the government can limit the Supreme Court’s power. 

Opener:  Is the execution of a minor a violation of the 8th amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual" punishments?

Activity #1: Case Prep and Mock Trial

Today we will prep and conduct trials for both of the cases below.  Each student will have 30 minutes to PERP both cases and prepare for their specific roles

Korematsu v US
Engle v Vitale


Activity #2:  Simulation Prep  and Execution

• Attorney - Prepare a 3-5 minute argument for the court on behalf of your client
• Remember that this is a legal argument that draws from the Constitution and amendments.
• Justices - Prepare questions to ask to the attorneys
• The purpose here is to be able to ask clarifying questions to the attorney's during the hearing.
• Court Reporters - Prepare a template for your brief article that you will write following the case
• It's going to happen fast and having a sound method for how to quickly organize and record arguments and comments will be key.

Close:  CPE

Day 5 - Supreme Court Simulation Prep Part II - B day ONLY

"Being on the Supreme Court is rather like taking the veil; you just sit there and try to get the right answer as other people argue in front of you. It's not nearly as exhilarating as the Executive Branch."

--Justice Antonin Scalia at Columbus Citizens Foundation dinner, Oct. 8, 2005

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
• Explain how other branches in the government can limit the Supreme Court’s power. 

Opener:  2 Questions

Is the execution of a minor a violation of the 8th amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual" punishments?

How is the decision reached in Schenck v US similar to the case of Korematsu v US (detainment of Japanese American citizens)?

Activity #1: Case Prep and Mock Trial

Today we will prep and conduct trials for both of the cases below.  Each student will have 30 minutes to PERP both cases and prepare for their specific roles

NYT v US
Engle v Vitale

Activity #2:  Simulation Prep  and Execution

• Attorney - Prepare a 3-5 minute argument for the court on behalf of your client
• Remember that this is a legal argument that draws from the Constitution and amendments.
• Justices - Prepare questions to ask to the attorneys
• The purpose here is to be able to ask clarifying questions to the attorney's during the hearing.
• Court Reporters - Prepare a template for your brief article that you will write following the case
• It's going to happen fast and having a sound method for how to quickly organize and record arguments and comments will be key.

Close:  CPE

Day 4 - Supreme Court Simulation - 1st Amendment

The First Amendment is often inconvenient. But that is beside the point. Inconvenience does not absolve the government of its obligation to tolerate speech.

- Justice Anthony Kennedy

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
• Explain how other branches in the government can limit the Supreme Court’s power. 

Opener:  CPE

Activity #1: Mock Trial Docket

Wisconsin v Yoder
Schenck v US
Engel v Vitale

Activity #2:  Mock Trial AAR

Close:  CPE

Day 3 - Supreme Court Simulation Prep - 1st Amendment

"The aim of the law is not to punish sins, but is to prevent certain external results." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Supreme Court Justice

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
• Explain how other branches in the government can limit the Supreme Court’s power. 

Opener:  Why do judges sometimes issue decisions that they personally disagree with?

Activity #1: Court terminology Mini-lesson

Petitioner - The person or party that has filed the appeal and is "bringing" the case to the court.

Respondent - The person or party that opposes the petitioner.

Majority Opinion - The decision of the majority of judges on the court (5 or more out of 9)

Concurring Opinion - A judge that agrees with the majority but for different reasons

Dissent - The minority of judges (4 or fewer) that explain why they disagree.  This has no effect on the case however.

Activity #2:  Judicial Simulation Prep - Part 1 (Simulation Tuesday)

Each student will prepare for the upcoming Judicial simulation in the next class by completing a "PERP" analysis of the each of the cases below.

Cases:  

• Wisconsin v Yoder
• https://thejerryperezexperiment.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/4/1/31411573/street_law_4_wisconsin_v_yoder_final.pdf
• Schenk v. US 
• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nPFWzUjZKjNXgid9GBoFGfuxzC8VdUR4FMCIAOahrcM/edit?usp=sharing
• Engle v Vitale
• https://thejerryperezexperiment.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/4/1/31411573/street_law_3_engel_v_vitale_final.pdf

Activity #3:  Simulation Prep - Part 2 - Role assignments

• Attorney - Prepare a 3-5 minute argument for the court on behalf of your client
• Remember that this is a legal argument that draws from the Constitution and amendments.
• Justices - Prepare questions to ask to the attorneys
• The purpose here is to be able to ask clarifying questions to the attorney's during the hearing.
• Court Reporters - Prepare a template for your brief article that you will write following the case
• It's going to happen fast and having a sound method for how to quickly organize and record arguments and comments will be key.

Close:  CPE

Day 2 (Sem II) - Beyond the Constitution

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain how the U.S. Constitution protects individual liberties and rights.
• Describe the rights protected in the Bill of Rights.
• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty.

Through the U.S. Constitution, but primarily through the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment, citizens and groups have attempted to limit national and state governments to prevent them from infringing upon individual rights and from denying equal protection under the law. 

However, it has sometimes been argued that these legal protections have been used to slow reforms and restrict freedoms of others in the name of social order.

Opener:  Below are the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution (Bill of Rights). Choose the 2 that you believe are the most important safeguards against tyrannical government and explain why.

1 Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
2 Right to keep and bear arms
3 No quartering of soldiers.
4 Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.
5 Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy.
6 Rights of accused persons, e.g., right to a speedy and public trial.
7 Right of trial by jury in civil cases.
8 Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments.
9 Other rights of the people not listed.

10 Powers reserved to the states.

Activity #1 - N-50 - Civil Liberty

LD - Individual rights and protections that protect citizens from unjust government actions or laws that would limit freedoms.

SD - 

Examples - Speech, privacy, safety, press, assembly

Non-Examples - Protections from other private citizens, government benefits

Related Terms - Bill of Rights, Limited Government, Civil Rights

Activity #2 - Civil Liberties Mini-Lecture

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MAIB35rJfNk4CybPJ4MGrSvamUifO0Vp4pcQYDoAiyE/edit?usp=sharing

Close:  Wisconsin v Yoder - PERP

https://thejerryperezexperiment.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/4/1/31411573/street_law_4_wisconsin_v_yoder_final.pdf

Day 1 (Sem II) - Beyond the Constitution

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• Explain how the U.S. Constitution protects individual liberties and rights.
• Describe the rights protected in the Bill of Rights.
• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty.

Through the U.S. Constitution, but primarily through the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment, citizens and groups have attempted to limit national and state governments to prevent them from infringing upon individual rights and from denying equal protection under the law. 

However, it has sometimes been argued that these legal protections have been used to slow reforms and restrict freedoms of others in the name of social order.

Opener:  Which of the following scenarios would be a violation of a student's civil liberties?  Which right, or amendment, does this scenario potentially violate?

1.  A student is told that their views regarding evolution are offensive and they must choose a different topic for a science project.
2.  A teacher forbids a student from leading a prayer group during passing period in the hallway.
3.  Student journalists are suspended for publishing personal, sensitive details about other students in the school newspaper.
4. Protesting a new policy requiring student uniforms, a group of students are forcibly removed from a school board meeting.
5. All students who wish to obtain a parking pass must first sign a contract that consents to a search of their vehicles at any time.
6. A new policy allows teachers to suspend students "on the spot" for up to 3 days.
7. School resource officers question a student about "hacking" into the district server.
8. A student is suspended for 10 days for stealing from the cafeteria, while another student is suspended later in the year for 1 day for the same crime.

Activity #1 - N-50 - Civil Liberty

LD - Individual rights and protections that protect citizens from unjust government actions or laws that would limit freedoms.

SD - 

Examples - Speech, privacy, safety, press, assembly

Non-Examples - Protections from other private citizens, government benefits

Related Terms - Bill of Rights, Limited Government, Civil Rights

Activity #2 - Use OSAM to analyze the cartoon below:

Close:  CPE Project

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18NnqsSptwaTuF2MyshwSaqRMj3yx-qhlrFN-CSACmw0/edit?usp=sharing