HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN - NEA School Lesson Plan - First Amendment...English Language Arts Standards ... case no one in the class answers the question or if you have to supplement

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.


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.


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.


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?


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?


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.”


DiscussionquestionsforTinker

• DoyouagreewiththeCourt’sdecision?• Whatotherkindsofspeechdoyouthinkthisdecisionwouldprotect?

• TheCourtdecidedinthiscasethatwearingablackarmbandwasspeech.Whydoyouthinkthat

is?Canyouthinkofothernonverbalkindsofspeech?

• Doyouthinkit’saproblemthattheschoolonlybannedonekindofarmband?Woulditbedifferentifithadbannedallarmbands?

• WhatdidtheCourtmeanwhenitsaid“ourConstitutionsayswemusttaketherisk”?Whatriskisittalkingabout?Whataresomeexamplesof“takingtherisk”?

• Whyisitimportantthatstudentsbeallowedtohavethesekindsofrightsinschools?

• Whenisdisruptivespeechgoodforeducation?


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?


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?


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

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HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN - NEA School Lesson Plan - First Amendment...English Language Arts Standards ... case no one in the class answers the question or if you have to supplement