Week 11: The Bill of Rights

 

March For Life at U.S. Capitol, January 2020

      Well-done on the in-class debate yesterday! Though both sides had convincing arguments, in the end, Team Security made me question my own opinions so, I had to count them the winner! (We missed your input, Austen and Gavin!)   

    We ran out of time for our lecture yesterday, so watch the video below and please be sure to review the Bill of Rights (the first ten Amendments), especially Amendment I, and make notes in your Constitution journal. Here are some things to consider about these rights:

First Amendment Overview: Part I - YouTube

  • There are two main features of the Bill of Rights: 
    • It is NOT a declaration of rights; rather, it is a declaration of prohibitions against the federal government
    • The founders made repeated declarations that the federal government should not be a "watchdog over the states' responsibility to protect the rights of the people.
  • On freedom of religion:
    • The Founders had a deep-held belief that morality and religion were the very core of prosperous, peaceful society and good government, and they actually wanted religion taught in schools! 
    • The Founders intent was for the states to resolve religious issues until there was equality among all religions, and no religion should receive preferential treatment over another.
    • Thomas Jefferson came up the idea of "a wall of separation between church and state," referring to the Constitution as the wall protecting religion from the federal government.
    • Over the years, Supreme Court decisions have misconstrued the intent of the "separation of church and state" idea to give secularism preference over any religion, as religion has been prohibited from being practiced in any public sphere, especially schools!


ASSIGNMENTS:


WRITING: It's students' choice this week! Read the two articles below and choose from one of the following essay topics. (I encourage you to do additional research on the topic you choose to familiarize yourselves with that particular issue.)

Option 1. Should Washington D.C. be made a state? Consider these questions: Would granting D.C. statehood be Constitutional? How would statehood affect representation in Congress? What were the Founding Fathers' opinions on this issue?

DC statehood: House passes bill that would make Washington, DC, 51st state - CNNPolitics

Option 2. Should schools have the power to limit speech that happens outside of school property? Consider these questions: Who decides what speech should be limited? With the internet and online school, where does school property end? 

Wary Supreme Court weighs student's Snapchat profanity case (apnews.com)


CONSTITUTION JOURNAL: Amendments 11-14


READING: Keep plugging away away at The Law by Frederic Bastiat, due May 19th.


DEVOTIONAL: Katie


PRESENTATIONS: Great job to Michael and Savanna for teaching us about Susan B. Anthony and Alexander Hamilton! Next week we will learn about two of my favorite people, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, presented by Austen and Kyle.


QUIZ: We'll be taking the Bill of Rights Quiz in class next Wednesday, so be prepared!


AWARD REQUIREMENTS: Only three weeks left to finish up your award requirements! I would like to present your awards to you at Field Day on May 21st at the Catletts', so I hope you'll all be able to make it!

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