Cities in the Classroom - JC Moretta
Understanding the Legal Precedent
Objectives:
- Students will understand the term legal precedent
- Students will be read various legal precedents as they pertain to an issue of local importance
Time: - 1- 2 days
Strategies:
- Internet search
- Cooperative learning
- Small and large group discussion
Materials:
- Computers with Internet connectivity
- “Understanding Legal Precedent” assignment sheet
Background:
- Later in their studies of local government, students will be working on an issue of local importance. The city ordinance in question is mired in a number of court cases. In these cases, Judges have relied on legal precedents from similar cases. It is crucial that students understand these precedents in order to examine and evaluate the city ordinance in question and to participate in the class and community simulations we will be conducting.
Activities:
1. Begin with whole class discussion on laws and the legal system. You might
consider: the intent/purpose of the law, difference between local/state/national
laws, how one law affects another
2. Pair students and distribute “Understanding the 1st Amendment” assignment
sheet. Circulate and assist as needed. Allow time for completion.
3. Have students share/present findings to class
4. Conduct large group discussion/debrief.
5. Collect all written student product
Understanding Legal Precedent
In order to proceed in our study of local government you will need to understand the concept of
legal precedent. With your partner please complete the following activities, recording your findings
on your own paper.
1 – Use the Internet to define the term “legal precedent”.
2 – Next research the 1954 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case named Brown vs. The
Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. Summarize the case and the results. Next explain how this
court decision became a precedent for the integration of schools in communities other than Topeka.
3 – Next, choose and complete one of the following scenarios…
A – You are a student who belongs to a minority group. You notice some of your fellow minority students are not comfortable in school, so you decide to form a club for these students. The club will help to create a sense of fellowship and belonging among these students. Additionally, the club will seek to foster change in the school climate by promoting fairness and equality. However, the principal of your school will not allow the formation of this club. Research examples of legal precedent regarding race and equality. Look for broad cases regarding race equity as well as cases specific to school groups. Now use these to prepare a letter to the principal that will convince her that your club should be allowed to exist.
B – You are a teacher and faculty sponsor of the school newspaper. One of your reporters discovers that some of the school’s funds were used for a giant party for school board members instead of new lockers for all middle schools in the county. However, before the article can be published your principal insists you remove the article. Your students feel they
should run the article and you agree. Research examples of legal precedent regarding freedom of the press. Look for broad cases regarding press freedoms and well as cases specific to school newspapers. Now use these to prepare a letter to the principal that will convince him that the article should run as planned.
C – You’re the parent of a female 8th grader. Your daughter wants to play football next year as a 9th grader. However, the coach of the high school team has told her she cannot participate because she is a girl. The high school principal has backed the coach’s decision. Research examples of legal precedent regarding gender equity. Look for broad cases of gender equity as well as cases specific to school sports. Now use these to prepare a letter to the high school coach and principal that will convince them to allow your daughter to play football.
Understanding the 1st Amendment
Objectives:
- Students will understand the term Constitutional Amendment
- Students will be familiar with the text of the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Students will gain background knowledge of the breadth of speech protected and not protected by the amendment
Time: 1- 2 days
Strategies:
- Internet search
- Cooperative learning
- Small and large group discussion
Materials:
- Computers with Internet connectivity
- American history text (internet can replace)
- “Understanding the 1st Amendment” assignment sheet
Background:
- Later in their studies of local government, students will be working on an issue of local importance. This community issue directly involves issues of free speech as protected or not protected by the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It is therefore crucial that students have a solid background in this amendment before they wrestle with the city ordinance.
Activities:
1. Begin with whole class discussion on constitutional amendments to activate background knowledge. What are constitutional amendments- What is their intent- Can you think of examples- How do local laws relate to the U.S. Constitution, Etc.
2. Pair students and distribute “Understanding the 1st Amendment” assignment sheet. Circulate as needed and allow time for completion.
3. Have students share/present findings to class
4. Conduct large group discussion/debrief.
5. Collect all written student product
Understanding the 1st Amendment
In order to proceed in our study of local government you will need to understand the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution. With your partner please complete the following activities, recording your findings on your own paper.
1 – Define the term constitutional amendment. Use your American history text for this first. Then supplement your definition by using the Internet.
2 – Explain in as few sentences as possible the meaning of the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
3 – Create a two- column list. One column should contain examples of speech you think is protected by the 1st Amendment. The other column should contain examples of speech you think is not protected by the 1st Amendment. You may use the Internet for this.
4 – Finally, choose and complete one of the following scenarios…
A – A group of students at your school wish to form prayer group on campus. They would like to use the weekly “club period” time slot to meet. The principal of your school, Ms. Marple, is not sure if this is a good idea and has denied the request until she can look into the matter further.
- Research the application of the 1st Amendment to religious groups in the U.S.
- Now prepare a short list of talking points for the students AND the principal. (In other words you are responsible for creating a list of ways the students might use 1st amendment to support the formation of their prayer group AND a list of suggestions the principal might use to argue against the club’s formation.
B – One of your fellow students is very vocal in her opposition to the U.S involvement in the Middle East. Lately she had been giving speeches in front of the school as students are arriving in the morning. She also hands out flyers at lunch that call for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. She continues to do this even after Principal Percival asks her to stop. As a result of these activities, she is suspended from school for five days.
- Research the application of the 1st Amendment as it applies to campus speech.
- Now prepare a list of talking points the student and her parents could use when asking the principal about to repeal her suspension.
5 – Be prepared to share your findings and ideas in large group discussion
