Monday, February 16, 2015

Supreme Court Simulation

I created this for my class to really understand how the supreme court works. I have not run this yet but I would love to see your feedback
Simulation
I am going to dived you into three groups.
Group one will be playing the role of Supreme Court Justices
Group two will be play the plaintiff (Annie)

Group three will be playing the Defendant (State of California)

Scenario 
Annie (the plaintiff) took her son John out of school to homeschool him in 2008 because he was being bullied. In 2010 the state of California took John (age 13) away from Annie and placed him in state care because “John’s education was severely lacking and he was allowed to learn things that could cause serious harm to society.” John was obsessed with Computer hacking and Nazi Germany. He had created a website to united all the Nazi loving hackers to break into the federal governments security.
Supreme Court Judges
Your role is to determine 1 of 3 things.
First does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to even hear this cause. (see article 3 section 2) if you think it does not then dismiss the case and you don’t have to rule who is right and who is wrong. If you do then you have to make your next choice
Second does the constitution support Annies claim that “a parent has the right to teach their kids anything they wish”
Third does the constitution support The state of California's claim that “parents do not have the right to teach their child potentially harmful things to society.”
Plaintiff
You must build a case to prove that
“a parent has the right to teach their kids anything they wish”
First you must find where in the Constitution this right could possible by found. (See amendment 9-10 and 14)
Build a case with at least 3 reasons as to why the Constitution supports your point.

Defendant
You must build a case to prove that
“parents do not have the right to teach their child potentially harmful things to society.”First you must find where in the Constitution this right could possible by found. (See amendment 9-10 and 14)Build a case with at least 3 reasons as to why the Constitution supports your point.

I want the students to see how things are not always black and white and how the constitution plays a role in helping us not just protect the majority but the minority. I also want the students to see the power that the Supreme Court Has.