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2 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
HIGHSCHOOLLESSONPLANFreedomofSpeechinSchoolsSupremeCourtandtheFirstAmendmentTinkerv.DesMoinesandMorsev.FrederickGradelevel:9-12CommonCoreStandards
EnglishLanguageArtsStandards»Reading:InformationalText»Grade11-12»8DelineateandevaluatethereasoninginseminalU.S.texts,includingtheapplicationofconstitutionalprinciplesanduseoflegalreasoning(e.g.,inU.S.SupremeCourtmajorityopinionsanddissents)andthepremises,purposes,andargumentsinworksofpublicadvocacy(e.g.,TheFederalist,presidentialaddresses).EnglishLanguageArtsStandards»Reading:InformationalText»Grade11-12»9Analyzeseventeenth-,eighteenth-,andnineteenth-centuryfoundationalU.S.documentsofhistoricalandliterarysignificance(includingtheDeclarationofIndependence,thePreambletotheConstitution,theBillofRights,andLincoln’sSecondInauguralAddress)fortheirthemes,purposes,andrhetoricalfeatures.EnglishLanguageArtsStandards»Writing»Grade11-12»9»bApplygrades11-12Readingstandardstoliterarynonfiction(e.g.,“DelineateandevaluatethereasoninginseminalU.S.texts,includingtheapplicationofconstitutionalprinciplesanduseoflegalreasoning[e.g.,inU.S.SupremeCourtCasemajorityopinionsanddissents]andthepremises,purposes,andargumentsinworksofpublicadvocacy[e.g.,TheFederalist,presidentialaddresses]”).EnglishLanguageArtsStandards»History/SocialStudies»Grade9-10
KeyIdeasandDetails
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1Citespecifictextualevidencetosupportanalysisofprimaryandsecondarysources,attendingtosuchfeaturesasthedateandoriginoftheinformation.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2Determinethecentralideasorinformationofaprimaryorsecondarysource;provideanaccuratesummaryofhowkeyeventsorideasdevelopoverthecourseofthetext.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.3Analyzeindetailaseriesofeventsdescribedinatext;determinewhetherearliereventscausedlateronesorsimplyprecededthem.
CraftandStructure
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesastheyareusedinatext,includingvocabularydescribingpolitical,social,oreconomicaspectsofhistory/socialscience.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.5Analyzehowatextusesstructuretoemphasizekeypointsoradvanceanexplanationoranalysis.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6Comparethepointofviewoftwoormoreauthorsforhowtheytreatthesameorsimilartopics,includingwhichdetailstheyincludeandemphasizeintheirrespectiveaccounts.IntegrationofKnowledgeandIdeas
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.7Integratequantitativeortechnicalanalysis(e.g.,charts,researchdata)withqualitativeanalysisinprintordigitaltext.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.8Assesstheextenttowhichthereasoningandevidenceinatextsupporttheauthor'sclaims.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9Compareandcontrasttreatmentsofthesametopicinseveralprimaryandsecondarysources.RangeofReadingandLevelofTextComplexity
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.10Bytheendofgrade10,readandcomprehendhistory/socialstudiestextsinthegrades9-10textcomplexitybandindependentlyandproficiently.
3 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartI:Content[ThispartofthelessonshouldbeusedtogooverthebasicsoftheSupremeCourt.StudentsshouldlearnthattheSupremeCourtwasestablishedbyArticleIIIoftheConstitution,whattheCourt’slegalroleis,howmanyjusticesthereare,andhowthosejusticesgetappointed.Wherepossible,theinstructorshouldelicittheresponsefromthestudents,butanswerstothequestionsareprovidedincasenooneintheclassanswersthequestionorifyouhavetosupplementtheanswerthatisgiven.]
• WhocantellmethenamesofthethreebranchesoftheU.S.Government?Executive,legislative,andjudicial.
• Todaywearegoingtotalkaboutthejudicialbranch.Doesanyoneknowwhatthehighestcourtofthejudicialbranchis?TheSupremeCourt.TheSupremeCourtisthehighestcourtinoursystem.
• CananyonetellmehowtheSupremeCourtwascreated?TheSupremeCourtwascreatedintheU.S.ConstitutioninArticleIII,SectionI.
• DoesanyoneknowhowjusticesareappointedtotheCourt?WheneverthereisavacancyontheSupremeCourt,itisthePresident’sjobundertheConstitutiontoappointthenextjustice.Thenit’sthejoboftheSenatetoprovide“adviceandconsent”tothenomination.
• Whatdoyouthink“adviceandconsent”means?TheConstitutiondoesn’tsaywhat“adviceandconsent”means,butithastraditionallymeantthattheindividualsenatorsmeetwiththenominee,theSenateholdshearingslookingintothenominee’sjudgmentandqualifications,andthentheSenatetakesanup-or-downvoteonthenominee.
• WhoknowshowmanyjusticesusuallysitontheSupremeCourt?Nine.
• WhoknowshowmanyjusticessitontheSupremeCourttoday?Eight.
• Thatseemsstrange.DoesanyoneknowwhythereareonlyeightjusticesontheCourttoday?
JusticeAntoninScaliapassedawayinFebruary2016.PresidentObamanominatedJudgeMerrickGarland,oneofthemostexperiencedandrespectedjudgesinthecountry,toreplacehim.Sofar,theSenatehasrefusedtoholdhearingsoravoteonJudgeGarland,sotheCourtisleftwithonlyeightjustices.
• Isthisunusual?Yes.Thisisthefirsttimesince1875thatanomineefortheSupremeCourthasn’treceivedeitherahearingoravote.
4 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartII:Reinforcement[ThissectionofthelessonisdesignedtogetstudentsthinkingabouttheroleoftheCourtandhowitmightimpacttheirlives.Throughclassdiscussion,trytogetthestudentsintheroomtostartthinkingaboutthewaythattheCourtmightaffectthem,evenbeforetheygraduatefromhighschoolorbecomeadults.Wherepossible,theinstructorshouldelicittheresponsefromthestudents,butanswerstothequestionsareprovidedincasenooneintheclassanswersthequestionorifyouhavetosupplementtheanswerthatisgiven.]
• Sonowthatwe’vegoneoversomeofthebasics,cananyonetellmewhattheSupremeCourt’sjobis?TheSupremeCourt’sjobistodecidedisputesbetweenthestatesand,mostimportantly,todecideimportantquestionsoffederallaw.
• Whocantellmewhatfederallawis?Wheredoesitcomefrom?Federallawmostlycomesfromtwoplaces:lawspassedbyCongressandtheU.S.Constitution.
• WhataresomeoftherightswehaveunderourConstitution?Speech,assembly,religion,
petition,freedomfromunlawfulsearchesandseizures,righttoalawyer,etc.
• CananyonethinkofsomewaysthattheSupremeCourtimpactsyourliferightnow,asstudentsandteenagers?Allowforafewminutesofdiscussion.
5 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartIII:FreedomofSpeech[ThissectionofthelessonshouldbeusedtointroduceandreinforcetheconceptoffreedomofspeechundertheFirstAmendmentoftheU.S.Constitution,inpreparationfordiscussingTinkerandMorse.]
• Let’stalkaboutoneofourconstitutionalrightsinparticular.Cananyonetellmewhatfreedomofspeechis?Therighttospeakorexpressyourselfwithoutgovernmentinterference.
• Cananyonetellmewhereourrighttofreedomofspeechcomesfrom?TheFirstAmendmentof
theU.S.Constitution.
• Doesfreedomofspeechmeanthatwecansayanythingwewant?No,thegovernmentcanputrestrictionsonspeechprovidedithasalegitimateinterestindoingso.
• Whataresomeexamplesoftimeswhenthegovernmentcanrestrictyourfreedomofspeech?
Youcan’tyell“fire”inamovietheaterifthereactuallyisn’tafire;youaren’tallowedtothreatenorharasssomeone;youcan’tprotestatanairportorinsidetheWhiteHouse;corporationsaren’tallowedtolieabouttheproductstheysell.
• Whendoyouthinkaschoolwouldbeallowedtorestrictstudents’speech?
• Whywouldaschoolwanttorestrictstudents’speech?
• Aretherelegitimatereasonsforaschooltorestrictstudents’speech?
• Doyouthinkit’sacceptableforaschooltorestrictexpressionjustbecauseotherstudents
disagreewithit?Forexample,woulditbeacceptableforaschooltoprohibitstudentsfromwearingt-shirtsofpresidentialcandidatesbecauseotherstudentsmightdisagree?
• WhenmightitbeOKforaschooltorestrictthattypeofspeech?
6 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartIV:Tinkerv.DesMoinesIn1965,theUnitedStateshadjustenteredthegroundwarinVietnamafteryearsofoperatingontheedgesoftheconflict.U.S.groundtroopsweredeployedinVietnamwiththegoalofoverthrowingtheCommunistNorthVietnamesegovernment,whichwassupportedbytheSovietUnionandCommunistChina.Thewarwouldeventuallyclaimthelivesofmorethan3millionpeople.Some58,220Americansoldierswoulddieoverthecourseofthefighting.Whilemostofthosecasualtiesoccurredinthelatterpartofthe1960s,theAmericanpublicbegantoturnagainstthewarin1965.InDecember1965,afewstudentsinDesMoines,Iowa,decidedthattheywantedtoprotestthewarinschool.JohnTinker,whowas15yearsold,MaryBethTinker,whowas13,andChristopherEckhardt,whowas16atthetime,decidedtowearblackarmbandstotheirschoolstoprotestthewar.Theschoolboardlearnedabouttheirplannedprotestandpassedarulestatingthatanystudentwearinganarmbandwouldbeaskedtoremoveitandwouldbepunishedforrefusingtodoso.Thestudentsworethearmbandsanyway,andweresuspendedandnotallowedtoreturntoschooluntiltheycompliedwiththeschoolpolicy.Thestudentschallengedtheschool’sdecision,andtheircasemadeitallthewayuptotheSupremeCourt.
• WhatdoyouthinktheSupremeCourthadtoconsiderinthiscase?
• Whydoyouthinktheschoolmadethepolicy?
• Whydoyouthinkthestudentsworethearmbandsanyway?
• Canyouthinkofanythingthatwouldmakethathappentoday?
7 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
TheSupremeCourtdecidedbya7-2votethatthearmbandswerespeechandthereforeprotectedundertheFirstAmendment.TheCourtheldthatstudentsinpublicschoolsdonotlosetheirrighttofreespeechundertheFirstAmendmentjustbecausetheygotoschool.Itheldthatinorderforaschooltobanstudentspeech,itfirstmustshowthatthespeechitistryingtobanwould“materiallyandsubstantiallyinterfere”withtheoperationoftheschool.[Haveadifferentstudentreadeachoftheparagraphs.]
But,inoursystem,undifferentiatedfearorapprehensionofdisturbanceisnotenoughtoovercometherighttofreedomofexpression.Anydeparturefromabsoluteregimentationmaycausetrouble.Anyvariationfromthemajority'sopinionmayinspirefear.Anywordspoken,inclass,inthelunchroom,oronthecampus,thatdeviatesfromtheviewsofanotherpersonmaystartanargumentorcauseadisturbance.ButourConstitutionsayswemusttakethisrisk…andourhistorysaysthatitisthissortofhazardousfreedom—thiskindofopenness—thatisthebasisofournationalstrengthandoftheindependenceandvigorofAmericanswhogrowupandliveinthisrelativelypermissive,oftendisputatious,society.InorderfortheStateinthepersonofschoolofficialstojustifyprohibitionofaparticularexpressionofopinion,itmustbeabletoshowthatitsactionwascausedbysomethingmorethanameredesiretoavoidthediscomfortandunpleasantnessthatalwaysaccompanyanunpopularviewpoint.Certainlywherethereisnofindingandnoshowingthatengagingintheforbiddenconductwould“materiallyandsubstantiallyinterferewiththerequirementsofappropriatedisciplineintheoperationoftheschool,”theprohibitioncannotbesustained…
Inoursystem,state-operatedschoolsmaynotbeenclavesoftotalitarianism.Schoolofficialsdonotpossessabsoluteauthorityovertheirstudents.Studentsinschool,aswellasoutofschool,are“persons”underourConstitution.TheyarepossessedoffundamentalrightswhichtheStatemustrespect,justastheythemselvesmustrespecttheirobligationstotheState.Inoursystem,studentsmaynotberegardedasclosed-circuitrecipientsofonlythatwhichtheStatechoosestocommunicate.Theymaynotbeconfinedtotheexpressionofthosesentimentsthatareofficiallyapproved.Intheabsenceofaspecificshowingofconstitutionallyvalidreasonstoregulatetheirspeech,studentsareentitledtofreedomofexpressionoftheirviews.AsJudgeGewin,speakingfortheFifthCircuit,said,schoolofficialscannotsuppress“expressionsoffeelingswithwhichtheydonotwishtocontend.”
8 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
DiscussionquestionsforTinker
• DoyouagreewiththeCourt’sdecision?• Whatotherkindsofspeechdoyouthinkthisdecisionwouldprotect?
• TheCourtdecidedinthiscasethatwearingablackarmbandwasspeech.Whydoyouthinkthat
is?Canyouthinkofothernonverbalkindsofspeech?
• Doyouthinkit’saproblemthattheschoolonlybannedonekindofarmband?Woulditbedifferentifithadbannedallarmbands?
• WhatdidtheCourtmeanwhenitsaid“ourConstitutionsayswemusttaketherisk”?Whatriskisittalkingabout?Whataresomeexamplesof“takingtherisk”?
• Whyisitimportantthatstudentsbeallowedtohavethesekindsofrightsinschools?
• Whenisdisruptivespeechgoodforeducation?
9 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartV:Morsev.Frederick[Forthissection,dividethestudentsintosmallgroups.Determinebeforehandthebestwaytodothis.Havestudentsreadthefactsofthecase,discussthecase,andcometoaconclusion.TellthemtothinkaboutwhattheyjustreadinTinkerandtrytoapplyittothefactsofthecase.Askthemtothinkabouthowthecasesarethesameandhowthecasesaredifferent.]In2002,theUnitedStateswasgettingreadytohosttheWinterOlympicsinSaltLakeCity.Aspartofthelead-uptothegames,theOlympicTorchwascarriedthroughoutthecountryonitswaytothegames.WhenthetorchcamethroughJuneau,Alaska,studentsattheschoolwereallowedtogooutsideandwatch.JosephFrederick,ahighschoolstudentfromAlaska,alongwithseveralfriends,stoodacrossthestreetfromtheschool.Whenthetorchpassedbytheschool—andthetelevisioncamerasstartedbroadcastinglive—Frederickandhisfriendsunraveledalargebannerthatread“BONGHITS4JESUS.”TheschoolprincipalseizedthesignandsuspendedFrederickfor10days.FrederickchallengedhissuspensionincourtandthecasemadeittotheSupremeCourt.Howdoyouthinkthiscaseshouldcomeout?Somequestionstoconsider:HowisthiscasesimilaranddifferenttoTinker?Shouldthecontentofthemessagematter?Whatdoyouthinktheschool’sreasonwasforsuspendingFrederick?
10 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
TheCourtheld,bya5-4vote,thatFrederick’sbannerwasnotprotectedbytheFirstAmendment:
ThemessageonFrederick’sbanneriscryptic.Itisnodoubtoffensivetosome,perhapsamusingtoothers.Tostillothers,itprobablymeansnothingatall.Frederickhimselfclaimed“thatthewordswerejustnonsensemeanttoattracttelevisioncameras.”ButPrincipalMorsethoughtthebannerwouldbeinterpretedbythoseviewingitaspromotingillegaldruguse,andthatinterpretationisplainlyareasonableone.AsMorselaterexplainedinadeclaration,whenshesawthesign,shethoughtthat“thereferencetoa‘bonghit’wouldbewidelyunderstoodbyhighschoolstudentsandothersasreferringtosmokingmarijuana.”Shefurtherbelievedthat“displayofthebannerwouldbeconstruedbystudents,Districtpersonnel,parentsandotherswitnessingthedisplayofthebanner,asadvocatingorpromotingillegaldruguse”—inviolationofschoolpolicy...
Schoolprincipalshaveadifficultjob,andavitallyimportantone.WhenFredericksuddenlyandunexpectedlyunfurledhisbanner,Morsehadtodecidetoact—ornotact—onthespot.Itwasreasonableforhertoconcludethatthebannerpromotedillegaldruguse—inviolationofestablishedschoolpolicy—andthatfailingtoactwouldsendapowerfulmessagetothestudentsinhercharge,includingFrederick,abouthowserioustheschoolwasaboutthedangersofillegaldruguse.TheFirstAmendmentdoesnotrequireschoolstotolerateatschooleventsstudentexpressionthatcontributestothosedangers.
DiscussionquestionsforFrederick
• Howdoyouthinkthiscaseshouldhavebeendecided?
• Doesitmatterthatwhatthestudentsaidwasoffensive?Doesitmatterthatitwasagainstschoolpolicy?
• Shouldstudentshavetherighttosayoffensivethingsinschool?
• Canyouthinkofsomethingtodaythatmightbetreatedinthesameway?
• Whodecideswhetherornotsomethingisoffensive?
• WouldthesignhavereceivedprotectionfromtheSupremeCourtifitwasnonsensical,if,forexample,ithadread“BONGNACHOCHEESEHITS”?Whatifthesignsaidsomethingdifferent,likeareligiousmessage?
11 HighSchoolLessonPlan:FreedomofSpeechinSchools,FirstAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution
PartVI:Conclusion[Toconclude,trytoemphasizethatthecompositionoftheCourtmatters,andthatrightsaredecidedbywhositsontheCourt.]
• Morsev.Frederickwasdecidedbya5-4vote.Ifonejusticehaddecidedthecasedifferently,thecasewouldhavecomeouttheotherway.- Whatdoesa5-4votetellyouaboutourlegalrightsinthiscountry?- Isitpossiblethattherereallyaren’tthatmanydifferencesbetweenTinkerandMorse?What
iftheoutcomedependsonwhoisontheCourt?- WhatwouldhappeniftheCourttodaydivides4-4?Canyouthinkofanybadconsequences?
A4-4decisionaffirmstherulingofthelowercourtthatheardthecasebeforeitwasappealedtotheSupremeCourt.Atieddecisiondoesnotsetbinding,nationwideprecedent.Oneresultcouldbethatfederallawtakesondifferentmeaningsdependingonhowthelawisinterpretedbyfederalcourtsineachstateorregion.
• WhatkindofpeopledoyouthinkshouldserveontheSupremeCourt?
• WhatshouldthePresidenttakeintoaccountbeforeappointingajustice?
• WhatshouldtheSenateconsiderbeforeconfirmingajustice?
ResourcesNationalConstitutionCenter:www.constitutioncenter.orgU.S.Constitutionandrelateddocuments:www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_downloads.htmlNationalEducationAssociation:www.nea.org/lac