StudentSearches - Links and Resources

Citizens in a democracy have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions. You will make an informed decision on a public issue after researching and discussing different perspectives in this issue.

Public Issue: Under the present U.S. Constitution, should schools have the right to search students/and or school lockers?

  • Should teachers, principles, and other school staff members be allowed to search a student"s belongings without his or her permission?
  • Should the school staff members be allowed to search lockers or other school owned propertly being used by students?

Surveillance in Schools: Safety vs. Personal Privacy
Discussion of legality and limits of locker searches

New York Times - Wisconsin School Wins Case on Random Locker Searches
Article discussing a Wisconsin State Supreme Court case that allows schools to search lockers even if there is no reason to believe there is evidence to a crime.

New Jersey v. T.L.O.- U.S. Supreme Court Case
This is probably the most relevant case regarding student rights related to search and seizures made at school.

Gun Control - Right to Bear Arms
Citizens in a democracy have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions. You will make an informed decision on a public issue after researching and discussing different perspectives in this issue.
Public Issue: Under the present U.S. Constitution, does the government have the ability to restrict, limit or otherwise control gun ownership of its citizens?
  • Was the intention of the Second Amendment to give all citizens to right to own any type of weapon?
  • Do gun control laws prevent crimes?

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts- A Right to Bear Arms?
This website presents a summary of the debate including references to U.S. Supreme Court Cases.

Handgun Control Debate- Awesome Library
This website organizes the Web with 37,000 carefully reviewed resources, including the top 5 percent in education.

Miranda Rights Links and Resources

PBS: The Supreme Court
Overview of the Miranda v. Arizona Supreme Court case.

U.S. Government Info at About.com - Miranda: Rights of Silence
Great site to find quotes from the Supreme Court about the Miranda warnings required to be given prior to police interogation.

U.S. Government Info at About.com - Miranda Rights Questions and Answers
Common questions and answers regarding a suspects Miranda Rights. Additional links to more information are also provided.

Yahoo News - Famous Miranda rights warning could get rewrite
News article discussing current U.S. Supreme Court case regarding Miranda warnings.

U.S. Government Info at About.com - Recent Miranda Case
Discusses a 2000 ruling that kept the Miranda Rights intact (Dickerson v. United States).

Your Rights at FindLaw.com - Police Questioning: When Miranda Warnings Are Required
This is a good site that discusses how police may question witnesses and gives an example of a typical Miranda warning.

U.S. Constitution at FindLaw.com - Text of 5th Amendment
This site contains the complete text of the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constituition.

Kids.net.au
Brief overview of the Miranda v. Arizona Supreme Court case.

Student Expression:School Uniforms & Dress Codes - Links and Resources

Citizens in a democracy have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions. You will make an informed decision on a public issue after researching and discussing different perspectives in this issue.

Public Issue: Under the present U.S. Constitution should schools have the right to restrict student dress?

  • Do school dress codes prohibit self expression under the first amendment?
  • Is requiring students to wear a uniform a violation of first amendment rights?

Secondary Education at About.com - School Uniforms: Pros and Cons
Summary of the debate regarding school uniforms.

First Amendment Center - K12 Student Expression: Clothing, Dress Codes, & Uniforms
Summary of constitutional issues related to school uniforms and dress codes. Links to various court cases are provided.

First Amendment Center - K12 Student Expression: Clothing, Dress Codes, & Uniforms FAQ
This site contains some common questions asked regarding student expression as well as responses from legal scholars from the First Amendment Center

Tinker v. Des Moines School District - U.S. Supreme Court Case
This is probably the most famous court case regarding student expression at school.

Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser- U.S. Supreme Court Case
This court cases specifically addresses the school role in determining acceptable language in terms of public discourse.

DeathPenalty- Links and Resources

Citizens in a democracy have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions. You will make an informed decision on a public issue after researching and discussing different perspectives in this issue.

Public Issue:Under the present U.S. Constitution, should certain criminal offenders be sentenced to death?

  • Is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment?
  • Should the death penalty be legal in the United States?

The Death Penalty Information Center: Arguments For and Against
Information to argue either side of this issue.

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice
Summary of statistics including the number of recent executions by state.

Top 10 Pros and Cons: Should the death penalty be allowed?
This site contains 10 arguments for and 10 arguments against the death penalty.

Is the death penalty unjust?- PBS: Angel on Death Row
Two U.S. Supreme Court justices give opposing opinions regarding a recent death penaly case in Texas.

The Death Penalty/Capital Punishment FAQ - National Center for State Courts
This site provides answers to many frequently asked questions regarding the death penalty.

Does the Death Penaly Save Lives? A New Debate
This New York Times articles provides some new information on the deterent (or lack thereof) value of the death penalty.

Death Penalty Information Center
This comprehensive site provides information and facts regarding the death penalty.