Moot Court (Resources)
Civil Rights Mini-Course Mini-Unit: The History of Racial Integration in American Public Schools
This post will contain links to all the resources you will need to successfully prepare for and complete the Moot Court activity. Also contained within this post are activities we will do in class that will help prepare you for the Moot Court. The link below is the inspiration for culminating project in this mini-unit.
This post will contain links to all the resources you will need to successfully prepare for and complete the Moot Court activity. Also contained within this post are activities we will do in class that will help prepare you for the Moot Court. The link below is the inspiration for culminating project in this mini-unit.
Culminating Activity (See Moot Court)
As we discussed in class, an understanding of not only the Constitution but also precedent is very helpful when preparing for a case. We will examine several landmark cases dealing with the issue of racial integration in public schools. The first case we will examine is Brown v. Board of Education.
Information on Brown v. Board of Education:
Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education
Oyez Project: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1950-1959/1952/1952_1/
FindLaw: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=347&invol=483
Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education
Oyez Project: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1950-1959/1952/1952_1/
FindLaw: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=347&invol=483
Pre-Moot Court Activity:
Visit the following link and view: Introduction, Segregation Defined, In Her Own Words, What Happened Next, Choices People Made and Timeline. Be prepared to discuss the "Connections Questions for the Classroom" in class.
1. Following lecture and episodes one and two from the "Eyes on the Prize" series, you are ready to complete the first activity. You will work in groups of three to four. I will collect your responses at the end of the class period. Click on the link below and complete the activity.
Landmark Cases (Classifying Arguments): http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/arguments.html
Landmark Cases (Classifying Arguments): http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/arguments.html
Resources that will help you with activities 2-5:
Key Excerpts from the Majority Opinion:http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/opinion1.html
Many useful links (Smithsonian Institute): http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/brown/resources/biblio-teachers.html
Many useful links (Smithsonian Institute): http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/brown/resources/biblio-teachers.html
(Parents Involved v. Seattle School District)
Read the opinion:
Listen to Oral Arguments:
Wikipedia Entry:
2. (March 4) Read the key excerpts from the majority opinion. http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/opinion1.html. Click on the link below. Answer # 7 in the comments section. (This is an opinion question. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer. You will do this independently.)
3. You be the Supreme Court Justice! (Jigsaw Activity)
Click on the link below. Working in groups of three or four, answer the questions posed. Answer your questions on the worksheet provided in class. You will share your answers in "large group" on Wednesday!
If you have time, take the "virtual tour" of the Supreme Court!
Advocate's Lectern:http://www.oyez.org/tour/introduction/
Courtroom Entry (Zoom in to better see the bench)
4. Essential Questions
Working in groups of 3 or 4, complete this worksheet:
Print one worksheet per group. Don't forget to include the names of every group member on your worksheet.
Resources:
5. After we've assigned roles, I'll give you time to work in teams (Justices and clerks and Attorneys and clerks) to discuss #8 and #9 from the Moot Court Procedures packet. Organize your thoughts on paper. First create an outline and once you feel comfortable with your material, organize what you have into formal questions and arguments.
Moot Court Procedures - Go to the link below and click on Moot Court Procedures. We will follow this guideline with a few minor modifications. We will not use journalists (unless we have a large group in the future and we need to find additional roles for people) and we will allow justices and attorneys one clerk each. Also, we will allow attorneys to finish their arguments before justices may begin their questioning.
http://www.streetlaw.org/content.asp?ContentId=194
http://www.streetlaw.org/content.asp?ContentId=194
This timeline may help both attorneys and justices (many precedents pertaining to racial integration in public schools are included in this timeline):
Comments
Yes, I absolutely do, it's really important that there is no segregation anymore. It was important that schools were desegregated because all children could get the same chance and nobody feels inferior.
-How close to — or far from — fully embracing the Brown decision are we, as a society?
I think we were heading in the right direction, but now that people dont talk that much about it and there are not as many people who speak up as there used to be, it gets worse again. Segregation in schools is on the rise and that means we are far from embracing the decision. I believe most schools and politicians try to, but it's more the rich white people who send their kids to schools in "good neighborhoods" who act the wrong way.
-What else needs to happen for us to move closer to the ideals of Brown?
Well, people should just start seeing that everybody is the same, no matter what race they are, but that is not very realistic. Schools should try to have more kids of different skin colors, no matter what the parents say. I dont know. Maybe people should start talking about this stuff again because it's important.