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Law Day 2002 "Should" Questions
The assignment for the 2002 Law Day Essay Contest is to answer a public policy "should" question that fits into the theme of "Assuring Equal Justice for All." The contest has been designed to help teachers prepare students for the MEAP and HSPT tests, while exploring the Law Day theme. On the Social Studies Assessment portion of the MEAP test, students will have to write extended-response essays that answer "should" questions and require taking a stand on public policy issues. These essays are scored based on the student's ability to clearly state a position on the issue and provide supporting information using an application of core democratic values of American constitutional democracy, prior knowledge of history, civics, geography or economics, and logically related data from a provided Data Section (usually a Supreme Court Case). The Law Day Essay Contest is an excellent way to practice an extended-response with students. The MEAP requirement to use supporting information from a provided data section is replaced by a research requirement. At least one Supreme Court opinion or other research tip is listed for each of the "Should" questions. Research should help the student gain a deeper understanding of the public policy issue and provide more thoroughly reasoned support for the position taken. Looking at a Supreme Court opinion will be an educational experience. The Supreme Court opinions do not need to be read or understood in their entirety. The idea is to gain historical insight or a perspective on a related public policy issue. Often, footnote and anecdotal information will be helpful. Students may also find articles or books that summarize or discuss the cases. The "Helpful Hints for Teachers" are suggestions for teachers to develop their "should" questions to go with the essay contest theme "Assuring Equal Justice for All." Extensive research has been done to develop information for the teachers to use (consulting with a public librarian, consulting with a social studies curriculum coordinator of a school district, searching in books and on the web). The teachers are free to develop their own "should" question from their own lesson plans about the law, so long as it fits in with the essay contest theme, or to use the suggested "should" questions. The class can use the same "should" question or each student can use a different "should" question. Information Sources for the Law Day Essay:
2. Research on the internet. The following web sites cannot be accessed from the home computer. All libraries and schools should have these sites available for your use: (You may e-mail any of the search results to your home computer.) AccessMichigan A web site available at all schools to search full text databases below. Links to the following databases:
MEL (MICHIGAN
ELECTRONIC LIBRARY) A website available at all schools to search full
text database. 3. Sources of core democratic values of American constitutional democracy include: the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and other significant documents, speeches, and writings of the nation. Core democratic values are the fundamental beliefs and constitutional principles of American Society. Encourage students to study the part of the constitution that relates to their chosen essay topic. Constitutional principles include: the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, representative government, individual rights, federalism, civilian control of the military, and freedom of religion. Fundamental beliefs include: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, truth, justice, equality, diversity, popular sovereignty, and patriotism.
(1) Suppose
that a few female students are being threatened and called names at
their high school because the head scarves they wear readily identify
them as Muslim. Suppose also that several students had personal connections
to victims of recent terrorist attacks and that anti- Muslim sentiment
is high at the school. Further suppose that a group of non-Muslim students
sees the need to do something about the cultural harassment and devises
a plan to wear head scarves for one week in a show of support for their
Muslim friends. The school board fears that this plan could incite violence.
See also the ABA teaching unit "What does Tinker v. Des Moines mean to you?" http://www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/tinker/home.html If your school has a policy about anti-bullying or hazing, refer to this policy. If your school has not developed anti-bullying or hazing policies, go to this web site to read sample policies developed by the Michigan Association of School Boards http://community.webshots.com/album/30323156uTpkaGXXhf (2) Suppose
that a school district chooses to schedule female athletic seasons at
times when boys teams are not using the needed athletic facilities.
This may be disadvantageous to the female athletes for reasons such
as limited availability of college athletic scholarships and lack of
available interstate competition. Should a school district be
required to schedule female sports during seasons that are traditionally
used by colleges, universities and most other high schools in the country?
See the ABA teaching
unit "What
does it mean to have equal protection of the laws?" (3) Suppose
that a student is routinely bullied at school and does not have a safe
and secure learning environment. Should a school board be held
responsible for the hostile environment that allowed harassment to continue?
If your school has a policy about anti-bullying or hazing, refer to this policy. If your school has not developed anti-bullying or hazing policies, go to this web site to read sample policies developed by the Michigan Association of School Boards: http://community.webshots.com/album/30323156uTpkaGXXhf (4) Suppose
that a high school student is charged with committing a serious crime.
Should a juvenile be entitled to a jury trial? See also, ABA teaching Unit "Juvenile Justice: The Case of Gerry Gault" http://www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/schools/lessons/79_juvjustice.html (5) Suppose
that students are displaying the American flag on their lockers and
clothing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance spontaneously. Should
the principal be allowed to ban reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and
ban placing American Flag stickers on lockers where they might cause
damage and offend someone? (6) Suppose
that there is reliable intelligence that a terrorist group of a particular
ethnicity is planning an attack at a major shopping mall. Should
the government have the power to temporarily ban all individuals,
including American citizens, of that ethnicity from certain shopping
malls as a national security precaution? (7) Many
Christian denominations encourage members under 21 years of age to consume
small quantities of alcohol for sacramental purposes during religious
ceremonies. Should native Americans be allowed to consume small
amounts of peyote (a hallucinogenic drug) for sacramental purposes during
religious ceremonies? (8) Suppose
that the business has begun to require that all employees recite the
Pledge of Allegiance each morning. Should the owner be able to
fire an employee that refuses to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance
because his Jehovah's Witness faith believes that a ceremonial saluting
of a national flag is a form of idolatry? |
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