Law Day 2007 Winning Essays

All essays are in format.

6th Grade

First Place: Nathan Shellhamer—Edwardsburg Middle School, Edwardsburg—Teacher: Erin Souchick
Second Place: Emma Kern—Tappan Middle School, Ann Arbor—Teacher: Wendy Raymond
Third Place: Ashley Sokolowski—Bangor Middle School, Bangor—Teacher: Catherine Kimbler

7th Grade

First Place: Haley Anne Bennett—Gagie School, Kalamazoo—Teacher: Joe Myers
Second Place: Zachary Whiting—Paw Paw Middle School, Paw Paw—Teacher: Lyn Brown
Third Place: Angela Furton—L’Anse Creuse Middle School North, Macomb—Teacher: Sheryl Furnas

8th Grade

First Place: Maura Tova Levine—Gagie School, Kalamazoo—Teacher: Dr. Gagie
Second Place: Nicole Stawasz—Walnut Creek Middle School, West Bloomfield—Teacher: Tracy Jackson
Third Place: Emma McClory—St. Thomas School, Ann Arbor—Teacher: Kirstin Boettcher

Six Supreme Court Cases

West Virginia State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette , 319 U.S. 624 (1943)
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Sch. District , 393 U.S. 503 (1969)
Bethel Sch. District No. 403 v. Fraser , 478 U.S. 675 (1986)
New Jersey v. T.L.O. , 469 U.S. 325 (1985)
Vernonia Sch. District 47J v. Acton , 515 U.S. 646 (1995)
Board of Educ. of Independent Sch. District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls , 536 U.S. 822 (2002)

"Should" Questions

1. Should a religious group of students be allowed to gather outside at the school flagpole before school starts?

See Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

2. Suppose that some students want to show support for a political candidate by wearing campaign pins to school. Should a school be allowed to have a policy against wearing items that show support for political candidates?

See Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

3. Suppose a school has a dress code that allows female students to wear open-toed shoes to school, but requires male students to wear close-toed shoes. Suppose further that a student group organizes a protest of the policy by encouraging male students to wear sandals to school for one day. Should a principal have the right to penalize male students for violating the dress code?

See Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

4. No question.

5. Suppose a parent reports that a student was showing off a hunting rifle in the school parking lot. Should a principal have the right to conduct a search of a student’s backpack?

See New Jersey v. T.L.O.

6. No question.

7. Suppose that a public school policy allows students to refuse to submit to drug testing as long as they do not attend the school prom. Should a school be able to require students to consent to random, suspicionless drug testing as a condition for purchasing prom tickets?