Program-Level Objectives met with this assignment:
Critical Thinking Skills
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
Communication
Course-Level Objectives met with this assignment:
Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.
Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens
Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics
SLO #1: Civil Rights versus Civil Liberties. 70% of students will successfully analyze the nuances between civil liberties and civil rights, as well as how the judicial branch interprets them. By researching the U.S. Supreme Court and selecting a contemporary civil rights and civil liberties decision, the students will be able to evaluate how these decisions impact our society. [SLO #1 fulfills the following Program Level Outcomes: Communication, Critical Thinking, Social and Personal Responsibility, as well as the following Course Level Outcomes: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8.]
Activity for Assessment:
Civil liberties and civil rights are mechanical components that have tremendous influence on the way we live our life. Each category can be applied in different situations, to identify different experiences for each individual.
People in the USA are beginning to question whether democracy is worth fighting for as more instances are identified in which human beings find themselves ‘above the law' (e.g. government officials, bureaucrats and civil servants violate laws that otherwise ‘ordinary citizens' would quickly be found guilty, and be forced to pay fines and/or be confined and incarcerated).
Visit the links below, then respond to the ensuing situations [*do your best to overlook authors' personal opinions and rather consider the issues identified; also, consider the possibility that these situations maybe taking place in any/all of the 50 states across the USA*].
Define Civil Liberties; then define Civil Rights. How are they similar? How do they differ? Which civil sequence has more influence on the majority of citizens' lives? Your life as you know it to be now? Why do you believe this to be so?
Where do the courts weigh in?
Search the Supreme Court database then identify one case for each situation (i.e. Civil Liberties case; then a Civil Rights case). What issue within each case you chose led to it being identified as a civil rights case or civil liberties case?
Do you feel the Supreme Court made a good decision on both of the cases? Which situation (civil rights or civil liberties) would have more influence on the quality of life in the states?
Which part of the USA would register a deeper impact of judicial decision(s) reached in the cases identified (i.e. in relation to making the most of your life experiences)?
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