WebQuest:

 

HAVE WE FORGOTTEN ABOUT

“SEPARATE BUT EQUAL”

WITH RESPECT

TO HUMAN RIGHTS?

 


by Richard Pero

Rpero11444@aol.com

John F. Kennedy High School

99 Terrace View Ave.

Bronx, NY 10463

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Recently, a student from a New York City public school came to your legal office and explained his concerns to you.  You are a lawyer representing another student who was denied admission into a newly created “minischool,” which is scheduled to open in the Fall 2004 term. Your client’s application for admission was denied and no reason was given. Could it be that he is currently classified as “Special Education?”  It was also brought to your attention that several of his friends, who happen to live in the same zoned school, but were not labeled “Special Ed,” received admission to this same particular minischool.

 

You decide to start a case against the Department of Education from New York City. In your research, you choose Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas due to the fact that in your opinion there are many similarities between the two cases.

 

TASK

 

Your task in this Webquest is to (1) show the social conditions prevalent in the American South during the 20th century, between the cases of Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education.  You will produce a two-page typewritten paper to do so; (2) use CompuLegal to summarize the case of Brown v. Board of Education in terms of the facts of the case, the arguments pro and con, and the decision; and (3) create a two- to three-page legal brief showing how the decision and impact of Brown v. Board of Education can be applied to your client’s case against the Department of Education’s minischool application process.

 

PROCESS

 

1.      Using the websites provided in the Resource Section, research the social conditions that pertain to the American South in the years after Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and carefully write an essay of at least two pages in length on segregation in the United States during the first half of the 20th century.

 

2.    Using CompuLegal, answer the following questions (either on a separate sheet of paper or in the space provided in CompuLegal itself):

a)    Can you summarize the facts of the case in Brown v. Board of Education?

b)   Can you present the logical sequence of events by studying a visual of the case?

c)    On the CompuLegal Reasoning page, explain the arguments for both sides in the case.  What are the precedents that apply to Brown? (How does this case relate to Plessy?) Can you think of how the Constitution and the Bill of Rights apply to this case?

 

3.    Show, by preparing a legal brief of at least two pages, how the cases of  Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education, as well as other restrictive state laws (such as Jim Crow laws on segregation in the American South) relate to your client’s case.  Answer: How can your legal brief be used to show that your client’s argument against the NYC Department of Education is justified?

 

RESOURCES

 

for Brown v. Board of Education: CompuLegal

 

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/17/bush.brown.ap/index.html

A CNN story on the commemoration of the Brown decision.

 

http://www.lib.umich.edu/exhibits/brownarchive/

Brown v. Board of Education archive from the University of Michigan

 

http://www.ed.gov/free/bveb.html

Brown v. Board of Education archive from the U.S. Department of Education

 

http://brownboard.gov/foundatn/missproj.htm

Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission (U.S. Dept. of Education)

 

 

for Plessy v. Ferguson: CompuLegal

 

http://www.watson.org/-lisa/blackhistory/post-civilwar/plessy.html

 

http://www.law.umke.edu/faculty/projuects/ftrials/conlaw/sepbutequal.htm

 

for the conditions during the social changes in the American South (1890’s-1950’s):

 

http://www.africana.com/research/encarta/segregation.asp

 

EVALUATION

 

 

In order to obtain your grade, the guidelines are as follows:

 

Grade A

1.      Showed a complete and detailed understanding of the topic and task to be completed.

2.    Successfully discussed similarities and differences.

3.    Richly supported the task using relevant facts and examples.

4.    The paper was typed and checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

 

      Grade B

1.      Showed a good understanding of the topic and task.

2.    Successfully discussed similarities and differences.

3.    Included relevant facts and examples to support opinions and perspectives.

4.    The paper was typed and checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

 

Grade C

1.      Showed a satisfactory understanding of the topic and task.

2.    Completed most aspects of the task.

3.    Included some facts and examples to support opinions and perspectives but not in depth.

4.    The paper was typed and checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

 

      Grade D

1.      Showed little understanding of the topic or task.

2.    Attempted to address task but provided little relevant information.

3.    Included little facts and examples.

4.    The paper was typed and had minor spelling and grammatical errors.

 

       Grade F

1.      Did not address the topic or task.

2.    Included no relevant facts and examples.

3.    Paper not typed and many spelling and grammatical errors.

 

STANDARDS

 

Social Studies:

 

1.      Analyze how the values of the nation affect the guarantee of human rights and make provision for human needs.

2.    Analyze the sources of a nation’s values as embodies by its constitution, statutes and important court cases.

3.    understand how the United States constitution supports majority rule but also protects the rights of the majority.

4.    Both the written document and the oral report will be assessed against the following rubrics.

 

English Language Arts:

      

        E1c Read and comprehend informational materials.

        E1d Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of public documents.

        E2b Produce a report of information.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Having successfully completed this assignment, you are now able to:

 

1.      Analyze a case forming an opinion based on the facts of the case.

2.    Research a topic using the Internet as a source.

3.    Compare and contrast different legal cases.

4.    Apply a legal precedent to a current legal problem.