Law Day 2008 Winning Essays

All essays are in format.

6th Grade

  • 1st Place—Alex Sugerman, Tappan Middle School, Ann Arbor, teacher Wendy Raymond
  • 2nd Place—Michael Shapiro, Tappan Middle School, Ann Arbor, teacher Wendy Raymond
  • 3rd Place—Benjamin Slack, Gagie School, Kalamazoo, teacher Joe Meyers

7th Grade

  • 1st Place—Ryan Kielczewski, St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor, teacher Kirstin Boettcher
  • 2nd Place—Jennifer Toth, L’Anse Creuse Middle School North, Macomb, teacher Lona Himmel
  • 3rd Place—Evan D’Silva, St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor, teacher Kirstin Boettcher

8th Grade

  • 1st Place—Nicolle Marie Zamponi, L’Anse Creuse Middle School North, Macomb, teacher Carlenda Goslin
  • 2nd Place—Hailee Mika, TL Handy Middle School, Bay City, teacher Joe Willey
  • 3rd Place—Kelsey Gradwohl, Tappan Middle School, Ann Arbor, teacher Wendy Raymond

"Should" Questions

  1. Suppose that a city is concerned that political yard signs create visual blight and clutter. Should a city be able to prohibit the placement of all yard signs with very few exceptions?
    See City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43 (1994)
    See ABA Lesson Plan: Amendment: Can a Municipality Forbid Political Signs on Residential Property?
  2. Should high school coaches be allowed to recruit middle school athletes?
    See Tennessee Secondary Sch. Athletic Ass'n v. Brentwood Academy, 127 S.Ct. 2489 (2007)
  3. Suppose that a high school wants to protect its students from inappropriate internet material. Should a high school library be allowed to install filters on their computers to restrict internet access?
    See United States v. American Library Ass'n, 539 U.S. 194 (2003)
    See ABA Lesson Plan: Teaching About Freedom of Speech on the Internet
  4. Suppose a police officer fears that knocking and waiting 20 seconds before entering a suspected drug house will allow criminals too much time to dispose of drugs and prepare to harm entering police officers. Should a police officer have the discretion to determine whether to use a “no knock” entry when executing a search warrant?
    See Hudson v. Michigan, 547 U.S. 586 (2006)
    See Richards v. Wisconsin, 520 U.S. 385 (1997)
  5. Suppose that female high school sports in Michigan have traditionally been scheduled during seasons that do not allow elite female athletes the best opportunities to be recruited and receive college scholarships. Should high schools be required to swap some male and female sport seasons so that more female high school sports are played during seasons that are traditionally used by colleges and most other high schools in the country?
    See United States v. Virginia, 518 U.S. 515 (1996)
  6. Should the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have the right to habeas corpus?
    See Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004)
    See Case at a Glance: Enemy Combatants: Does the Military Commissions Act of 2006 Violate the Suspension Clause?
  7. Suppose a city is concerned about high rates of juvenile crime. Should a city have the right to enact a juvenile curfew law?
    See Schall v. Martin, 467 U.S. 253 (1984)
    See ABA Lesson Plan: Teen Curfew