DEZENG PANG
By early July, the Supreme Court will issue
its most important ruling on race in American since Brown v. Board of
Education, the 1954 decision that ended segregation in our public schools.
Before the Court now is the explosive issue of “racial preferences” in college
admission-the policy of taking skin color into account when deciding which
applicants to accept. To some, the use of racial preferences is a legitimate
form of affirmative action, designed to create a diverse learning environment
by boosting the numbers of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native
Americans on campus, and to give them opportunities that were denied to their
oppressed ancestors. To others, racial preferences amount to discrimination
against whites and Asians, and tend to degenerate into racial quotas, a numbers
game that already has been ruled unconstitutional.
1. Students
will study the two sides of the case:
Michigan counters that its use of racial preferences is not a
quota, since it considers race as one factor among many, and the school has not
set aside a precise number of seats for the preferred groups. They argued that
preferences are essential to diversity. Without this form of affirmative action
there would be a drastic drop in black and Hispanic students.
2. Students will examine some Supreme Court
cases.
3. Students will give their opinion using CompuLegal
method.
1.
The class will be
divided into 3 groups: one group of 9 students as Supreme Court, the second one
will represent people who think “racial preferences are unconstitutional,” and
the third one will represent those who support
2.
To support your
arguments, you have to review some Supreme Court cases.
3.
The cases can be examined through the Compu Legal
system. This system will help you review
the cases step by step.
4.
Students will search through the resources below to gain additional
knowledge about the topic.
5.
Two groups will write the reports in which there should be strong legal reasons
to support your opinions. And
then present in front of “Supreme Court”.
6.
The “Supreme Court” group should discuss and reach an agreement, and
write the ruling based on legal basis. And then read it in class.
www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/plessy.gif
www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/brown.gif
www.now.org/nnt/08-95/affirmhs.html
www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/bor.html
Students
will be evaluated based on the following criteria: effort, group work,
presentation and written work.
Excellent
1. Student
shows a complete understanding of the research topic.
2. Student
provides facts and opinions with supporting details.
3. Student
shows the ability to analyze, evaluate, and apply critical thinking skills to
information.
4. Student
participates in group process.
5. Student
submits complete written project.
Good
1. Student shows a
satisfactory understanding of the research topic.
2. Student
provides facts and opinions with supporting details.
3. Student shows
the ability to analyze and evaluate information.
4. Student
participates in group process.
5. Student submits
written work.
Need Improvement
1. Student shows a
minimal understanding of the research topic.
2. Student provides
minimal facts and opinions.
3. Student shows
the poor ability to analyze and evaluate information.
4. Student has
difficulty participating in group process.
5. Student submits
incomplete written project.
Upon the completion of this Web Quest, you have used CompuLegal to
search some legal issues and review some cases involved in affirmative action.
Then, you have used the information to analyze a new case in your groups,
written reports and presented in class. Now you can utilize the technological
research and critical thinking skills you have acquired during this process to
further explore this issue or any other issues that interest you.