Bellringer What was the theory behind Reaganomics? During the Gilded Age what was the economic policy followed by the government? What was the problem with it? If businesses get tax cuts, they will use those savings to hire new employees, thereby jump starting the American economy Laissez Faire. Businesses took advantage of American workers, leading to long hours, low wages and dangerous working conditions

Safe Schools and Students’ Rights Court Cases establishing the balance between student rights and safe schools

Bill of Rights Review Why was the Bill of Rights passed?

Civil Liberties Court cases surrounding students and schools really are examining the students’ civil liberties. Remember the case Schenk determined your rights are not absolute. This principle carries over to schools.

Engle v Vitale, 1962 Constitutional Principles: 1 st and 14 th Amendments (Civil Liberties) Issue: New York State required a 22 word non-sectarian prayer at the beginning of each school day. A group of parents argued that the prayer violated their children’s 1 st Amendment right to Freedom of Religion. Decision: Reciting the prayer violates the 1 st Amendment. Even though the prayer was not required, reciting it in class put pressure on children to conform Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence on Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our Country

Tinker v Des Moines, 1969 Constitutional Principles: 1 st and 14 th Amendments (Civil Liberties) Issue: Students decide to protest the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands in school. Two days before the planned protest the school outlawed wearing any armbands to prevent the protest. Students said the school had acted to circumvent their Freedom of speech. The school argued the armbands would have created a disturbance and weren’t actually speech Decision: The School had violated the students’ constitutional rights because students “do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech at the schoolhouse gate. Additionally, the armbands were a form of symbolic speech, where no oral words were needed.

New Jersey v TLO, 1985 Constitutional Principles: 4 th and 14 th Amendments (Civil Liberties) Issue: TLO got caught smoking in a school bathroom. In the principal’s office she denied the charges, so the principle asked to see her purse. Upon searching he found not only cigarettes, but also rolling papers, marijuana, a pipe and evidence TLO was dealing drugs. TLO argued the search violated her 4 th amendment right to privacy. Decision: Upheld the TLO case, but also said that schools must have reasonable suspicion to search a student’s belongings or locker. All searches must be reasonable based on the objectives of the search and must include confidence that evidence will be found. New Jersey v TLO established that students do have legitimate privacy at school, but it also gave officials greater ability to search without warrants.

Vernonia School District v Acton, 1995 Constitutional Principles: 4 th and 14 th Amendments (Civil Liberties) Issue: Random drug testing of school athletes violates the 4 th amendment guarantee of privacy. The school felt that the searches maintained safety in school and fulfilled its educational goals. Decision: Schools must maintain a healthy and safe environment for all students. Randomly drug testing is allowed to help school accomplish this mission. However, if the drug testing became discriminatory, it would be illegal. What does this artist think of drug testing? How do you know?

Free Speech