WEBQUEST

Strike the Fourth?

By,

Norberto Solivan Jr.

INTRODUCTION

Matthew Rodriguez is a member of the Johnstown High School baseball team. He is ranked as one of the top players in the state. Baseball is what Matthew lives for. Everything that Matthew knows about baseball he learned from his grandfather, who was a member of the Cuban National baseball league before the revolution. He defected and came to live the U.S. shortly after Castro took control. Matthew’s grandfather not only taught him about baseball, but also the importance of one’s liberties that this country had given him and his family. He would always tell Matthew; “If you are not willing to defend your freedom, you might as well go back to Cuba”.

Johnstown’s baseball team had made it to the state Championship playoffs. His coach has told Matthew that all the top ten schools will have scouts at the playoff. It is even rumored that a few National and American league team will have their scouts there also. (Grandpa still has friends in baseball)

A week before the playoffs, the coach informs the team that the school board has enacted a new drug testing program for all school athletes. Any student refusing to submit to a drug test will be barred from participating in all school sport activities.

Matthew is no saint, however he does not use any type of drug. Matthew’s strong objections to drug use has earned him the nickname Saint Matt. He strongly believes that the school has no right to force him to submit to a drug test, especially, if no one has accused him of any drug use. What is he to do? If he refuses to submit to the test, he will be barred from the playoffs. However, if he submits to the test he will violate the most important thing his grandfather taught him “you must defend your rights.”

TASK

You will work in pairs to create and perform dialogues that will highlight both sides of the argument concerning the controversial action taken by the Johnstown school board. You will each write a persuasive “letter to the editor” expressing your own beliefs on the subject.

PROCESS

First: You will be paired up with another student in the class.

Second: Each person will research the topic of drug testing of students. Be sure to look into 4^th Amendment and case law.

Third: Each person will pick one side of the issue and debate that position with your partner.

Fourth: After completing the debate with your partner, you are to pair up with one other student and argue the other point of view.

RESOURCES

Use the following web sites to help you in your research.

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/

http://www.newss.ksu.edu/web/news/newsrelease/drugtesting.htm/

www.nytimes.com

when using search engine (yahoo, lycos) type in drug testing of students

EVALUATIONS

Write a letter to the editor in which you express your opinion about drug testing students.

Prepare a power point presentation on the pros and cons of drug testing students.

CONCLUSION

The use of drugs by students in our schools is a far reaching and complex problem. Whether to attack it on a cultural level (Just Say No) or punitively with drug test and legal remedies is a debate that will be with us for a long time. The Constitution can only guide us so far. It will be up to us to decide how far we are willing to give up our liberties in order to protect our youth from the dangers of drug use.

STANDARDS

English Language Arts – standards 1,2,3 and 4

Social Studies – standard 5: Civics, citizenship, and government.