Assignment 11/17/14

Pickering v. Board of Education

1. What issue was addressed in this case?

     The issue was debating whether or not school officials violate the First Amendment by terminating a teacher for writing a letter to the editor that discusses important matters of public concern.

2. Explain the basic facts about this case?

     A high school science teacher had written a letter to the editor of the local newspaper criticizing the way the Board of Education was spending its money between athletics and academics. The school board then terminated the teacher, saying the letter contained false statements. The teacher sued the Board, claiming they violated the First Amendment's freedom of speech. 

3. How and why did the case progress through the courts?

     The case was required to be heard due to Illinois law.

4. Why was the case heard by the Supreme Court?

     The case was heard because it is an important case due to the fact that it involves the Constitution.

5. What was the Court's decision in the case?

     The majority vote was that the school did violate his right to freedom of speech. "While criminal sanctions and damage awards have a somewhat different impact on the exercise of the right to freedom of speech from dismissal from employment, it is apparent that the threat of dismissal from public employment is nonetheless a potent means of inhibiting speech." (Justice Thurgood Marshall)

6. How does this case impact the nation and its people?

     It shows the boundaries for violation of the First Amendment.

7. What do you think about this case?

     I think this case was very helpful to the rest of the world.

Bellringer 10/30

1. This does not support my debate. I think we should have capital punishment.

2. It was correct to stop it on grounds that something was wrong with the court case.

Bellringer 10/29

Some of these laws just make you wonder what happened to make the state make that law. Yes, when you think about it, some make sense. Others are just so crazy that its funny. I think the craziest one is Florida's, because how would they fine the women if they're dead?

Bellringer 10/28

1. They are seeking the death penalty because he saved himself from being on the sinking ship instead of helping the school children that were on the ship.

2. I disagree with them attempting to give him the death penalty. That is just getting him off the hook for abandoning all those people. Although, if it was his fault and he was only being selfish, then maybe he should get the death penalty.

3. I believe the death penalty should definitely be allowed for certain things. I think people that really do horrible things deserve to rot in prison, not get "let off" and recieve the death penalty.

page 284 ?s 1-4

1- The Senate has fewer members than the House.
2- The seats are nevver up for election at the same time.
3- They have less pressures than the House.
4- They are in office longer, so they would get more attention.

pg. 271 ?s 1-4 ; pg 280 1-4

Page 271

1- They make a bicameral legislature for practical, theoretical and historical reasons.

2- It is a legislature made up of two houses.

3- The term is how long they are in office, but the session is when they conduct business.

4- When they adjourn a session, they suspend until next session. A recess is when they temporarily suspend business.

Page 280

1- They are distributed by how many people are in that state. They serve for two years.

2- They are reapportioned every ten years after a census.

3- There aren't as many representatives in single-member districts.

4- To create "safe" districts.

Presidentual Report Card

Presidential Report Card

Name of President: Andrew Johnson

Number of Presidency: 17th

Years in Office: 4 years (1 term)

In the following ten categories, grade your president from an A to an F. (You may “acknowledge” border-line grades with a – or a +). You will need to give a 50 word justification as to why your candidate scored as they did.

 

   I gave him great grades for the most part because I believe he tried very hard at being President. After President Lincoln died, he tried his best to get America to get back to "normal." I believe he was an admirable president because he obviously had strength and tried hard to help America cope with the loss of Abraham Lincoln.

Category	Grade	Comments
Ability to handle and deal with a crisis	A+	He was the guy who took over Presidentcy after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
Ability to work with Congress and Cabinet	A	He obviously worked very well with Congress and the Cabinet to reign in America after the assassination.
Character and Integrity	A	He had to have a lot of character to make sure the police caught John Wilkes Booth.
Education	A+	Even though he was formerly a tailor shop owner, he was a champion at politics in Tennessee.
Empathy	A	He had to have had empathy for America after the loss of Abraham Lincoln.
Foreign Policy	B	I'm not sure if there was much foreign affairs going on at the time. At least, there was none mentioned.
Relates to the common man	A-	He definitely would because he was formerly a tailor before getting into politics. Although, he was viewed as a traitor to the South.
Persuasiveness	C	Somehow he had managed Tennessee to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment; after two violent riots.
Political Experience	A+	He had a lot of previous experience because he was one of the best people for debate.
Public speaking & Communication	A+	He was a champion at debation.