Speak Up! First Amendment Research Essay
OK...we've been studying First Amendment cases -- both historical and more recent -- so now let's look at what's going on in our world today regarding the First Amendment...
For this assignment, you will:
For this assignment, you will:
- Write a 4 page (6 max) analytical/persuasive essay using at least 4 outside sources that evaluates the facts and background of a current case, and then using precedent, evidence, and your own analysis, makes a ruling that upholds the letter and spirit of the Amendment that is being challenged.
- Acceptable sources include articles from newspapers, magazines, or online databases, scholar.google, interviews, documentaries, news programs, and books.
- Copies of all articles used in your essay must either be turned in with your final draft. OR you may include a works cited list on your googledoc with links to your sources
- Include in your essay three quotes and two paraphrases along with in-text citations for each. (no more than five quotes)
- You must have a works cited page.
- You must submit your essay to turnitin.com before it will be graded
Inspiration: The Power of Speech
Martin Luther King I Have a Dream speech
Malcolm X PBS documentary
Cesar Chavez speech: your dollar is your vote
Malala speech
Thailand protesters and Hunger Games
Resources
Assignment packet
research benchmarks
Research Response assignment
Digital outline for research response assignment
Essay Rubric
Evaluating resources
Digital outline for persuasive essays
Introductions -- Instruction on lead-ins and thesis statements
opposing argument examples
opposing argument explanation from OWL
OWL's instruction on conclusions
addressing the opposing argument
another good explanation of opposing arg
opposing argument examples
Research
1st Amendment Background Info
Possible topics:
Religion
Speech
Press
Assembly/Petition
Note: Any case on the Supreme Court docket can also be your essay topic
Malcolm X PBS documentary
Cesar Chavez speech: your dollar is your vote
Malala speech
Thailand protesters and Hunger Games
Resources
Assignment packet
research benchmarks
Research Response assignment
Digital outline for research response assignment
Essay Rubric
Evaluating resources
Digital outline for persuasive essays
Introductions -- Instruction on lead-ins and thesis statements
opposing argument examples
opposing argument explanation from OWL
OWL's instruction on conclusions
addressing the opposing argument
another good explanation of opposing arg
opposing argument examples
Research
1st Amendment Background Info
- background /history
- Religion: separation church/state background
- Religion: free exercise of religion background
- Freedom of press
- Speech background
- Freedom of assembly background
- Freedom of petition background;
Possible topics:
Religion
- Do corporations have the right to religious freedom? (case: a corporation wanted an exemption from providing contraception through Obamacare due to religious beliefs of the owners of the corp.) Sebelious v Hobby Lobby Article: Can Corporations Pray? See Citizens United Opinion see SCOTUSBLOG page for Citizens United
- Can Arizona business owners deny service to a gay customer because of their religious beliefs? See article Does Yick Wo v Hopkins apply here?
- Should Intelligent Design be taught in schools even though this theory puts forth the idea of a “creator”? See Livescience article to start See Wallace v Jaffree white paper form Const Law Center
- Should the Mount Soledad cross be removed? ACLU information on the case
- Does a woman wearing burkha have to remove it for her driver's license photo even if it’s against her religious beliefs to do so? Freeman v Florida; First Amendment Center article on Free Exercise clause
- Should "Under God" be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance? Elk Grove USD v Newdow
- Other cases involving religion
Speech
- Should individuals and organizations be allowed to contribute as much money as they would like to political candidates as a form of speech? McCutchin v FEC ; another source; oyez link; pbs article
- Would Charlie Hebdo speech be legal in the US or would they be considered "fighting words" or "inciting a riot"?
- Should the name of the Washington Redskins be changed? Huffpost articles; CNN article
- Does Edward Snowden have a Constitutional right to share classified info w the American people or is it considered treason? Whistleblower's Quandry; Snowden is no hero; Snowden hero or villain; Video -- In Snowden's own words Background on whistleblowers 2014; Govt surveillance; John Oliver's interview
- Do school uniforms/dress code infringe upon students freedom of expression?
- Should student athletes be allowed to wear “I can’t breathe” shirts?
- If someone has a zoom lens and takes your picture while you are in your house, is he/she protected by the 1st am in publishing it? Photography and the 1st Am background
- Should online hate speech be protected by the First Amendment? Antidefamamtion League article
- Should terrorist websites and social media be taken down by the government? Taking Down Terrorist networks
- Should net neutrality be protected as a form of speech? ACLU background on net neutrality
- How has the 1st Amendment been impacted by the Patriot Act
- Should San Diego Tiny Doo be jailed for songs that depict gang violence? (Brandon Duncan aka Tiny Doo article) teachers guide to music and 1st am
- Is defacing offensive anti Islam ads to make them less offensive an exercise in free speech or is it vandalism
- Does the Constitution protect a student’s right to wear an American flag tshirt to a Cinco de Mayo celebration even if it would increase racial tensions in the school
- Should student athletes be allowed to wear “I can’t breathe” shirts?
- Should the Ku Klux Klan be allowed to distribute flyers on public streets?
- Can Texas ban a license plate with the Confederate flag on it?
- Should the social media accounts of known terrorist organizations be banned or censored?
- Other current free speech cases
- and here
Press
- Should bloggers receive the same 1st am protections as journalists? Can a blogger be sued for defamation? (Obsidian Finance Group v Cox) First Am Center article
- How has social media impacted recent protests (e.g. Arab Spring, Occupy movement)? Should it be regulated or censored if social unrest is the result?
- Is the internet having a good or bad effect on journalism?
- Is the press doing its job in providing information from which we can make informed decisions?How biased is the media and how can this be improved?
- How important are newspapers to the public becoming informed? Are they on the way out?
- Project Censored News stories investigation
Assembly/Petition
- Should anti abortion protest signs with graphic images be protected speech? Scott v St Johns church
- Is having a protest buffer zone outside of abortion clinics infringe upon a citizens right to peaceably assemble (protest)?-- McCullen and another article
- Are the police infringing upon the right to protest in recent protests (Ferguson and Occupy) or just keeping order? Human Rights Watch article; police militarization article; USA today article
- Was the Supreme Court correct in protecting the Westboro Baptist Church's protests at military funerals?
- Does the recently signed bill HR347 infringe upon the right to assembly and redress-- (slate article)
Note: Any case on the Supreme Court docket can also be your essay topic