Please note this is class 2/2.  You must take the first 16 week course to participate in this second section.  Our second section continues to provide students with knowledge of United States Government that will enable them to participate effectively in civic life in America. Students will examine fundamental constitutional principles; the organization of government at the federal, state, and local level; the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; the policy-making process; political parties and elections; comparative government, foreign policy, and the American economic system.   Specifically, our second section focuses on Elections, Media, Supreme Court Cases, Comparative Government and Modern Policy Issues.  This class will help prepare you student to take the advanced placement course if they so elect.   As a class we will be examining such cases as Gideon v. Wainright, Mapp v. Ohio, Roper v. Simmons (Juvenile Death Penalty Case), several student rights cases such as Tinker and Hazelwood and many others.  We will also discuss issues such as juveniles incarcerated for life, the mentally ill and jails, immigration, and Super PACs, Citzens United v. FEC, and media/government propaganda. Please research your State's requirements so that you will receive credit.  I encourage non-US students to take this class as topics bring a great element to comparative discussions and debates.

Sample Weeks:

Week One:  How to Case Brief and Early Foundations in Constitutional Law
Students will learn how to brief legal cases with a strong emphasis on constitutional harms.
Cases studied:  Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland

Week Two:  Landmark Cases
As a group we will go over several landmark cases including:  Gideon v. Wainright, Mapp v. Ohio, Miranda v. Arizona, Korematsu and Texas v. Johnson.
HW:  Students will create their own case brief and present to the class.

Week Three: Gideon's Trumpet

Week Four:  Gideon's Trumpet cont.

Week Five:  Juvenile Law
In re Gault, Tinker Test and various SCOTUS precedents will be discussed.

Week Six:  Civil Rights v. Civil Liberties
Students will examine the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments and relevant case law.  Topics include:  The Civil Rights movement and Acts, Voting Rights, Affirmative Action, Gender Discrimination, and Selective incorporation through the 14th Amendment.

Week Seven:  Civil Rights v. Civil Liberties continued.

Week Eight:  Political Campaign Financing and Reform

History, relevant case law, PAC's, Super Pac's and The American Presidency Project
Project:  Students will compare two past party platforms.

Week Nine:  Campaign Financing Cont.

Week Ten:  Political Ideology-  Capitalism, Socialism, Communism,  and Fascism

Week Eleven:  Political Ideology Cont.

Week Twelve:  The Cold War-  Korea and Vietnam

Week Thirteen:  The Cold War-  Russia and China

Week Fourteen:  The Cold War-  Cuba

Week Fifteen:  Housekeeping/Final

I purposely keep my class sizes a bit smaller so that I can make sure each student is participating and engaged.  

Note:  There will be no class on US Federal Holidays.  Also, if your student has an IEP, 501, or unique circumstances, I encourage you to contact me ahead of time.