Gangs, Tattoos and Symbolic Speech

Carefully READ the information regarding on "Gangs, Tattoos and Symbolic Speech." You can get to the information by clicking on the title of this post, or by pasting the link below into your browser:

http://www.landmarkcases.org/tinker/gangs.html

After you read through the information, complete the exercise below.

You are a member of the Davenport Community School District's School Board. As a board member, it is your job to create and approve specific school policies. With your fellow board members, revise the school's policy prohibiting the display of gang symbols so that it is constitutional.

"Gang-related activities such as display of 'colors', symbols, signs, etc. will not be tolerated on school grounds. Students in violation will be suspended from school and/or recommended to the Board for expulsion. "

Amend the policy to make it less vague.

What specific conduct and symbols would you prohibit?

What guidelines would you provide school officials with to ensure that only those students who were truly advertising gangs would be punished?

Specifically, how would you define "gang"?

What exact symbols would be prohibited?

Which colors/color combinations are gang-related?

Write your amended district policy below.

The 2nd Amendment HW 11/28/07

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."







Click on the links below, carefully read the information, and then answer these questions.

How do you interpret the second amendment?

Why is there such a dispute over gun ownership?

How do you think the court should rule?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/us/21scotus.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-scotus21nov21,1,4804010.story

http://constitution.teachingmatters.org/student/brief_intros.html

Here's what other kids thought about this issue.

How has the Supreme Court Affected the Rights of Americans?

Here's your assignment for this evening.

1. Read the Background Information on the Supreme Court Case Tinker vs. United States (1969). The information can be found below.
2. After reading the information about the case, answer the questions that follow.

1. Do you think that the school policy banning armbands was fair? Why or why not?
2. The students knew they would be suspended if they wore armbands to school and chose to do so anyway. Why do you think they ignored the rule?
3. The First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." Why do you think the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that certain actions should have the same protection as verbal speech? Are these reasons valid?
4. Pretend that students in your school wanted to protest the school-wide ban on smoking. Should they be allowed to protest by wearing T-shirts that read "Up with 'Butts'!"? Why or why not?

Post your responses to the questions. Looking forward to seeing what you have to say.

Background Info
John and Mary Beth Tinker attended public school in Des Moines, Iowa. In December of 1965 a community group in Des Moines decided to protest American involvement in the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands. The Tinkers agreed to wear their black armbands to school. However, principals in the school district, aware of the students' plans created a rule that any student wearing an armband to school would be suspended unless the student removed the armband. Although the Tinkers knew about this rule, they decided to come to school wearing armbands anyway. After refusing to take the armbands off, John and Mary Beth Tinker were sent home by the principal. Their suspension lasted until they agreed to come back to school without the armbands.

The Tinkers filed a suit in the U.S. District Court to stop the school principals from enforcing the rule in the future. Although the District Court said that this type of protest was a form of expression protected under the First Amendment's freedom of speech clause, the Court sided with the school officials, saying that the rule was needed to "prevent the disturbance of school activities." The Tinkers appealed their case to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, but they lost. The Tinkers decided to appeal the case to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The fundamental question of the case came down to this: Does the First Amendment's promise of free speech extend to the symbolic speech of public school students? And, if so, in what circumstances is that symbolic speech protected? The First Amendment to the Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." The Fourteenth Amendment extends this rule to state government as well, of which schools are a part. However, the First Amendment does not say which kinds of speech are protected. It also does not specify what types of expressive actions should be considered as speech.

The question of what kind of speech or action is protected under the First Amendment has been considered many times by the Supreme Court of the United States. Generally, the Court has held that the First Amendment protects adult symbolic speech that does not harm or threaten to harm. However, at the time of Tinker, it was unclear whether students' rights in this area were different.

In 1968 the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear the Tinker's case and consider whether the Des Moines public schools ban on armbands was an unconstitutional violation of the students' right to free speech. The Court's decision in Tinker v. Des Moines was handed down in 1969.

US History Extra Credit Thematic Essays

Hello, Everyone:

For those of you interested, here are some assignments that you can attempt over the weekend to help boost your grade.

There are three (3) assignments. They are all thematic essays. Each one is worth up to 2.5 points on your GPA (average) for the first trimester. Additonally, they make great pieces for your portfolio.

These assignments must be:

• Typed or Neatly Handwritten in INK
• If you type, it must be double spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman, or Arial only.
• Handed in NO LATER THAN TUESDAY 11/27

Assignment #1: The United States Constitution not only provides a basic framework of government, but also allows for the flexibility to adapt to changes over time. Write an essay that:

1. Identify two basic constitutional principles and discuss how each principle allows the government to adapt to changes in the United States
2. For each constitutional principle you discuss, describe a specific historical
circumstance when the principle was used to meet the changing
needs of American political, social, or economic life.

Source: http://www.jmap.org/JMAP/IJMAP/USHistory/RegentsExams/0801ExamUSH.pdf

Assignment #2:
Theme: Constitutional Change
Amendments to the United States Constitution have changed our
government and our society.

Task:
Identify two amendments to the United States Constitution and for each:
• Discuss the historical circumstances that led to the adoption of the
amendment

• Discuss how the amendment changed the United States government
and/or American society

You may use any constitutional amendment from your study of United States history.Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the 1st Amendment — personal freedoms (1791), 15th amendment — right to vote (1870), 16th Amendment — income tax (1913), 17th Amendment — election of senators (1913), 18th Amendment — Prohibition (1919), 19th Amendment — suffrage (1920), or 22nd Amendment — term limits (1951). You are not limited to these suggestions.

Source: http://www.jmap.org/JMAP/IJMAP/USHistory/RegentsExams/0104ExamUSH.pdf

Assigment #3:

Theme: Contributions of Individuals to American Life

Throughout the 20th century, individuals attempted to address problems within
American society. Their efforts have had a significant impact on American life.

Task:
Identify two individuals who have had a significant impact on American life
during the 20th century and for each
• Describe a problem in American society that the individual tried to change

• Discuss an important contribution made by the individual to address
this problem

• Evaluate the impact of the contribution on American life

You may use any historically significant individual from your study of 20th-century United States history. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include Upton Sinclair, Henry Ford, Langston Hughes, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Betty Friedan, Rachel Carson, Cesar Chavez, and Bill Gates.

Source: http://www.jmap.org/JMAP/IJMAP/USHistory/RegentsExams/0807ExamUSH.pdf

Federalism Mini Project

Objective: Students will:
a. analyze the nature of the relationship between the Federal and State governments
b. explain how various government actions illustrate the system of Federalism in their daily lives.

Background information: The concept of Federalism is one that underlies all concepts about the power of government in the US system. Federalism within the United States system is the balancing of power between a Federal Government and State Governments. Within this system, the Federal Government is superior to the State Governments. For example, a state could not pass a law that directly contradicted a law passed on the federal level. Within these principles, power is divided among the federal (delegated powers) and state governments (reserved powers). Power is also shared between the federal and state governments (concurrent powers).

How does Federalism affect your daily life? For this assignment, you will carefully observe your school, your neighborhood…In short, the world around you. You will then express this idea in a written (and visual, if you choose) form.

What do I have to do?
1. For the next few days, carefully observe your surroundings. Using the list of powers that you were given in class, as well as in the Constitution (p. 158 of your TB), look for examples of these things in action around you. These examples can consist of almost anything; buildings, street signs, even people!
2. Using a notebook, or your reporter’s pad, make a list of these things. Record where and when you saw these things, and the example of the power you see in action. For added information (and extra points) take pictures of them. Here are some examples:

• a. A Post Office, or a USPS mailbox. This would be an excellent example of a Delegated Power, because the Federal Government has the power to establish post offices and postal roads.
  
• b. A hairdresser. A hairdresser needs a license to cut hair in New York State. One of the RESERVED POWERS of the state government is to license professional workers.

3. Your goal is to find AT LEAST two examples of each of the powers occurring in your daily lives. Remember, the powers are the:

• a. Delegated: Federal Government
  
• b. Reserved: States
  
• c. Concurrent: Shared
  

4. After finding your examples, compose an essay that:

• a. Discusses how Federalism works (one paragraph)
  
• b. Identifies at least two examples of each power (one paragraph for each of the three powers). Your examples must identify where and when you saw them, as well as a brief description of the example.
  
• c. Has a strong introduction and conclusion. Therefore, your essay should be at least 6 paragraphs.
  

5) Your essay must be TYPED or neatly handwritten in ink. If you type your essay, it must be double spaced, and you must use 12 point font (Arial, or Times New Roman only).
6) For added visual impact, and extra credit (up to 20 points), you may attach photographs of your examples to a poster board along with your essay, similar to the “What America Means to Me” project. Please note that this is an optional step. You will not be penalized if you do not complete this step.
7) BE CREATIVE…WORK HARD…HAVE FUN!
8) Make sure that you include your name, and class period on your assignment.

HW 11/14/07 - Federalism

Based on today's class about Federalism...

Do you think the balance of powers is fair to the states and to the Federal gov’t? Explain in a composition of no more than 100 words.

Here's a link to help you, if you're not sure what Federalism is all about.

http://regentsprep.org/Regents/ushisgov/themes/government/federalism.htm

Tonight's HW 11/9/07

Over the years, the Constitution has been referred to as a "living document."

In a post of at least 50, but no more than 100 words, please explain why the Constitution is called a "living document."

Here's a link with information to help you write your post.

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/documents/constitution/about.html

See you on Tuesday!

HW 11/8/07 - Reflection on the Amendments

Hello, Everyone:

Excellent job on the Amendment charts.

Listed below are a series of questions about the amendments. Use the questions to write a brief summary of what you've learned from the Amendment activity.

• What reasons might explain why these amendments were passed?
  
• How do these amendments expand the Constitutional Rights of the American people?
  
• In what ways do these amendments RESTRICT people's rights?
  
• Which THREE amendments do you believe are the MOST important?
  

Due Tomorrow!

Notes for the Amendment Mini-Project

What is up, people:

Here are some good sites to find out information on the Amendments.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constkids4.html - Explains how the whole thing works.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constamnotes.html#Am13 - Gives you a history, and rundown of the amendments. It briefly discusses why each one is important. Scroll down the page for more information.

Tonight's HW 11/5/07

Due by Wednesday 11/7/07

Think of an amendment you'd like to see added to the US Constitution. In a post of no more than 100 words (but at least 50), explain:

1. What your proposed amendment is about.
2. Why your amendment should be added to the Constitution.

Here's a link to a list of amendments that have been proposed in recent years.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constamprop.html

Thank you for hard work. Looking forward to your responses.