"I Know My Rights"

This week you acted as judges as you considered actual civil liberties cases involving high school students. Did Mary Beth and Paul Tinker have the right to wear black arm bands to school to protest the Vietnam War? Did the principal have the authority to censor the high school newspaper? Did "TLO" have her right to privacy violated with the search of her handbag? You weighed the evidence, you applied your knowledge of The Bill of Rights and you rendered a decision. Our discussion was spirited as we tried to balance the need for liberty and the need for order. This is true today as we have looked at the Patriot Act and its infringement on our civil liberties. This tension between freedom and order was played out in your own school as the issue of pajamas as legitimate school attire came to a head. Make sure to read the article in The Newport Daily News by Kate Homer in this morning’s edition. The balancing act between rights and order will always be with us and as informed citizens you must play the role of protecting your rights or they may wither away. I know you will be ready to come to the defense of our civil liberties!

To read more about high school students and their efforts to defend their civil liberties, check out "We the Students" by Jamin B. Raskin.

Election of 1800

The election of 2000 (Bush v. Gore) reminded us that our electoral college system is not a perfect arrangement. Our young country encountered its first major election hurdle in 1800. The Constitution called for the candidate with the most votes to be president while the runner up would be the vice president. In 1800 the country was faced with a deadlock between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr with 73 votes each. In the event of a tie, the Constitution called for the House of Representatives to decide on a final victor. After 36 ballots, Thomas Jefferson was elected President with Burr as his Vice President. Stay tuned for more on Aaron Burr as he challenges Alexander Hamilton to a duel and only one man walks away! Congress realized this type of electoral problem had to be avoided in the future so the 12th Amendment was enacted in 1804 which called for separate ballots for each office.

The election of 1800 is sometimes called the revolution of 1800 as this is the first time in our country's history that presidential leadership changed from one political party to the other, with the Federalist party of Washington and Adams losing to the anti-Federalists, now known as the Jeffersonian Republicans. Today in our country we don’t worry about violence if there is a change in political leadership but in 1800 this system was untested. While the Federalists lost the presidency and would never regain their power, we need to reflect on the lasting impact this party had in establishing our country. We also need to remember that even though the new president was not a Federalist, the principles of the Federalists, especially their belief in a strong national government, continued to be upheld by the Supreme Court under the leadership of John Marshall. Over the past few weeks, two new members have joined the current Supreme Court and Senators, through the “advice and consent” hearing process, have tried to determine what impact Judges Roberts and Alito will have on our country. If political leadership changes in the White House, will the Roberts Court play the same role as the Marshall Court after the election of 1800?

“Go West, young man…”

This week you received a packet on territorial expansion and we began raising questions on how, why and at what expense did the United States expand to the West coast. The first major addition of land was the Louisiana Purchase made by President Jefferson. The additional land doubled the size of our country overnight! Being a man of science and curiosity, Jefferson sent Lewis and Clarke on an expedition to explore the new acquisition. While visiting New Orleans in 2004, I was amused by the license plates, which celebrated the bicentennial of Lewis and Clarke's expedition with the inscription "Corps of Discovery 1804-2004." Have you ever noticed how much American history you can learn from reading license plates? How about an extra credit question: Bring in the motto or phrase found on a state license plate that helps tell part of our history and be prepared to explain the connection. I will ask you next week for your response.

As we learn more about the habits of mind, I can't help but think how Lewis and Clarke as well as their guide, Sacajawea, used these practices to accomplish their goals!

Friendly Reminders

The activities on the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clarke are due the next class period. Make sure you read the directions carefully so you can earn full credit for your efforts. You are most welcome to work ahead with the packet as our goal is to complete the activities before you head off for the Winter break. Keep in mind that we still have current events on day 1 and day 4. Period 2, don’t forget your group assignment on the designated chapters in “John Adams.”