More impeachment this week. Between the impeachment and the approaching Democratic primaries, there is not a lot else going on that the media is willing to devote resources too. This week, we're going to look at some polling and some graphs from FiveThirtyEight.com. Read the following article about
Polls of the Week - FiveThirtyEight.com Then, answer the following questions: 1. The seven most recent polls they looked at measured opinion about last weekend (Those covering Jan 19 in the polling dates). How many showed more support for removing Trump than opposition for removing Trump? 2. Which of these 7 polls found the most support for removing Trump? Which found the most opposition to removing Trump? 3. In FiveThirtyEight's polling average, what percentage of Democrats support removing Trump from office? What percentage of Republicans support removing Trump from office? 4. What difference did the most recent Monmouth University poll find in the people who say they support removing Trump from office and those who support the House impeaching Trump? 5. Why does the author suggest that some Republicans may support removing Trump from office? 6. Why might the polls be misleading if they survey all adults as opposed to just likely voters? 7. How do men and women think differently about whether or not a woman candidate can win a presidential election? 8. Which demographic group of people caused the Atlanta Journal Constitution to adjust its polling formulas? 9. Related to issues we were discussing last week, how do Americans feel about the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v Wade?
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This week, we will continue to discuss the developments in civil rights issues of various different groups that have experienced legal discrimination by the US Government. We'll be finishing up Unit 3 and will take the test on Friday. It should be a back to normal week around here. Since Friday is a test day, there will be no argument this week.
No argument this week, but there will be a blog assignment.
HThe Supreme Court is currently in session and making new decisions that will determine the limits of government involvement in our lives. Read these articles about a couple of cases before the court right now that relate to issues we have been discussing in class.
SCOTUS & State Funding of Religious Schools - Vox.com Then, answer the following: 1. What issue is at the center of both the Trinity Lutheran and Espinoza cases? 2. How does Justice Kagan argue that banning ALL funding to religious institutions would be ridiculous? 3. What choice do the plaintiffs argue that these bans force on students? 4. According to the Census, what's the average amount that states spend on each public school student? 5. How did Chief Justice John Roberts explain the Court's decision in Trinity Lutheran? 6. Because of the current makeup of the court, how do the authors predict that the Court will settle the Espinoza case? Supreme Court Showdown Over Birth Control - Vox.com Then, answer these: 7. What issue is at the heart of both of these Pennsylvania cases? 8. What court precedent was established in the 1982 case US v Lee? 9. How did the Trump Administration expand the effects of the ruling in the Hobby Lobby case? 10. How do Trump's additions to the Court help predict the outcome of these cases? This short week, we will finish discussing issues in civil liberties and shift over to a discussion of the development of civil rights over time. It's also your last homecoming week!
Argument 3.2 - Affirmative Action College Admissions
This week, you need to make a claim about whether or not you think affirmative action is still needed in college admissions. Read these two articles, make a claim, and defend it. We Need Affirmative Action - Washington Post Affirmative Action Must Go - National Review You can also use these articles if you need to: Affirmative Action & Admissions Scandal- Washington Post The Case Against Affirmative Action - Stanford Magazine In your first paragraph, you need to make a claim and explain it. In your next three paragraphs, you need to explain evidence that backs up your claim using quotes from the articles. In your last paragraph, you need to address an opposing viewpoint. Find a quote to use from the other article and explain why it represents a bad argument or explain why the author makes a good point. The blog assignment screwed up. Congratulations! You don't have a blog this week now.
This week, we continue to discuss civil liberties. We'll continue to discuss controversial issues all week, like different forms of controversial speech, the press's ability to criticize public figures, and people's privacy rights. Later this week, we'll begin to discuss the balance between the rights of people accused of crimes and reasonable limits on law enforcement. Friday is a half day and the school has decided on doing some block schedule thing across Thursday and Friday. If your class meets on Thursday, the argument is due Thursday. If your class meets Friday, the argument is due Friday. We'll go over this Monday.
Argument 3.1: Death Penalty
Should we be able to execute people for crimes in the United States? Make a claim about whether or not the United States should use the death penalty. Use the following articles for your evidence: The Death Penalty Deters Crime - Heritage Foundation The Case Against the Death Penalty - from the ACLU If you would like, you can use these additional sources Abolish the Death Penalty - Washington Post The Case for the Death Penalty - Denver Post Make sure you follow the following format. You need to make a clear claim in the first paragraph. It should be very obvious what you think about the question by only reading your claim. Each of the next three paragraphs is going to use evidence from the articles to support your claim. You need to include a quote from one of the articles, describe what the quote means, and EXPLAIN WHY the quote supports your claim. In the last paragraph, pick a quote that represents the opposite point of view and explain why you agree or disagree with that claim. At the end of our break, President Trump responded to increasing tensions in the Middle East but ordering an airstrike that killed an important Iranian official. Read the following articles from Vox.com about the airstrike that took place late last week.
US Airstrike Kills Iranian General Soleimani - Vox.com Then, answer the following questions. 1. Why was General Soleimani an important target for the airstrike? 2. How did the Department of Defense (the Pentagon) justify this attack? 3. How have Iran's leaders responded to the US attack? Trump Threatens New Attacks - Vox.com 4. How has President Trump responded to Iran's promises of "revenge"? 5. Why have some said that Trump's response would be considered a war crime? 6. What impact has this attack on Iran's leadership had on normal Iranian people? 7. How has the government of Iraq responded to the US attacks on Iranian leadership? Iran Announces It Will Not Adhere to Nuclear Deal - Vox.com 8. What was the 2015 Nuclear deal between Iran and the Obama Administration? 9. What did President Trump do to the Iranian government because he disagreed with the deal? 10. Which parts of the deal does Iran say it will stop following? 11. Which parts of the deal does Iran say it will continue to follow? Ugh, I guess we have to do school again. A lot happened since we saw each other. The president got impeached by the House of Representatives, and this week, he's really decided to try to start a war with Iran. In class this week, we are moving in to the "mini'law school" portion of class so we will spend the next few weeks dealing with old Supreme Court decisions that outline the limits of our rights in the Constitution.
There is no argument this week, but there will be a blog.
Read the following article from Vox.com about what the Trump Administration has accomplished so far in the nearly three years that it has been in office. News coverage tends to focus on the variety of scandals associated with this Administration, but significant policy changes have occurred. This is your last blog for the quarter!
What Trump Has Actually Done in Three Years - Vox.com Then answer the following questions: 1. In changing environmental policy, how much bureaucratic regulation has the Trump Administration reduced? 2. How has the Trump Administration changed America's approach to resource extraction? 3. What changes has the Trump Administration made to the Medicaid program? 4. What has been the result of these changes? 5. What policy changed has caused the biggest changes in the federal deficit? 6. How has the Securities and Exchange Commission changed its enforcement of regulations about the stock market? 7. What impact have Trump's policies had on the banking industry? 8. What are three actions Trump has taken to change immigration enforcement? 9. What impact have Trump's policy changes had on refugee resettlement in America? 10. How do Trump's appointments to Circuit Courts compare to Obama's time in office? This week, we will get back to studying the federal court system by focusing on all the operations and history of the Supreme Court. We'll focus on judge selection and discuss different judging philosophies. This will be the last normal week of school, so last blog and argument. Make sure you are getting any make up work ready to turn in. Next week we'll have to have exemptions ready and so grades will need to be wrapped up! Your only Unit Test of the quarter will take place next Tuesday, so we will start to review for that and get a study guide this week.
Argument 2.5: Judicial Philosophies This week, you're going to write an argument about what you think is the proper role of a judge. Should judges play a role in changing public policy, or should judges stay out of policy making and just interpret the laws that are written by legislatures. You should make a claim that states a preference for either judicial restraint or judicial activism. You can use any of the articles below to find the evidence to make your case. Why We Need More Judicial Activism - Vanderbilt University Judicial Activism Isn't A Bad Thing - Washington Post Wanted: More Judicial Activism - Hoover Institute Against Judicial Restraint - National Affairs Why Judicial Restraint Best Protects Our Rights - CATO Institute The Virtues of Judicial Restraint - National Affairs How Activist Judges Undermine the Constitution - The Atlantic Remember to make your claim CLEARLY in the first paragraph and explain why that is your claim. Use three quotes from these articles as pieces of evidence that support your claim and EXPLAIN why they support your claim. Use a quote that represents an opposing viewpoint and respond to it by either explaining why it's a bad argument, or explaining why it's a good argument. |
schedulesHere's where you're going to find out what's up in class each week. It's updated every Sunday. archives
March 2020
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