TIPS PROGRAM

Tinker Case

By Mildred Kasabalis

CIS 303

 

 

Introduction

 Many of you in this class have expressed dissatisfaction with the freedom that you have to express yourself.  Let’s take for example Janet.  Janet wore her pajamas to school last Friday.  Friday is the only day in which you can come to school without the dress code.  She was sent back home to change and come back to school.  Is there anyway that you the students of this class can protest this issue?

The TIPS program has helped us in the past to learn and debate issues that have to do with the freedom that we as citizens of the United States have.  Is Freedom of expression something that is due only to adults, or do the youth of America also have that right?  Let’s look at a case that can help us to understand some of the rights that young people have.

          The Tinker v. Des Moines Community Independent School District 393 U.S.503 (1969) was the first test case.  This case can help us to understand whether a principal has the right to suspend, or “send home” a student because the student has worn something to school that the principal does not consider appropriate.  We will also look at other cases, which in some way are relevant to the issue in this school.

          In this project we will look at this case by going into websites in the Internet.  We will also, discuss, debate, interview and present the information and the conclusions that we have come up with.

 

Language Arts Standard:

E1c:  Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a:  Produce a report of information.

E3b:  Participate in-group meetings.

 

Social Studies Standard:

Standard 5 Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Understand how the United States and New York State Constitutions support majority rule but also protect the rights of the minority.

Understand how civic values reflected in United States and New York State Constitutions have bee implemented through laws and practices.

 

 

Objective:

Students will be able to take a position supporting or opposing a student’s right to freedom of expression based upon conflicting issues and values.

 

 

Materials:

Handouts

1.    “Tinker v. Des Moines

2.    ‘Mary Beth Tinker’s Dilemma”

3.    “Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier”

4.    “Principal’s Dilemma”

5.    “Bethel v. Fraser”

6.    “School Official’s Dilemma”

 

 

Task:

1.    Review, study the case, look into websites that will help you to understand and come to a conclusion.

2.    Interview the principal, staff, students, and parents.

3.    A report, which includes the pros and cons of the case, is to be presented.

  1. Prepare a case for or against the principal’s right to send a student home to change her clothes.
  2. Letter to the principal

 

 

Process:

1.    Read the Tinker Case; in your group choose a recorder, a reporter, and a facilitator.  Discuss the case; prepare a presentation, which the recorder will present to the rest to the class.  The recorder will present your groups opinion for or against the Tinkers.  You have ten minutes to do this.

2.    Go in the websites that are suggested in the resource page and get all the facts on the case.  Write a summary of the information that you have found.  You can also go to the library and do research on the case.  This will give you additional information that you can use in your report.

3.    As a group, prepare interview questions; decide whether you will interview the principal as a group or if you will choose an interviewer from to interview the principal.

4.    Final paper will be a letter addressed to the principal written by your group.  This letter will include:

 

v   An introduction to the topic.

v   An overview of the Tinker case.

v   The pros and cons of freedom of expression.

v   Your group’s opinion on the “Janet” case.

v   Your group’s request for the keeping or the changing of the policy.

v     A summary and conclusion.

 

 

Resources:

v   A site that lists the Bill of Rights

v   Look at all the Facts of the Tinker Case  

v   Anything else you need to know?  Do you Have a question?

v   Information you need, ask Google?

 

 

Evaluation:

       The process of assessment in this project is by way of many different forms.  The first one is peer editing, the students will edit each other’s work, and they will supply suggestions for the second and third drafts.   In groups they will present their findings and conclusions to the principal, parents, and visitors.  The final step of the evaluation process will be the portfolio they will summit to me on the due date.