Part 3: Changing Rules and Laws

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Activity 3B: Who Were “We the People”?

Rights Matter: The Story of the Bill of Rights

The full text and curriculum are available for download. www.rightsmatter.org

Chapter 3. Who Were “We the People”? www.rightsmatter.org/curriculum/9.html

“Where Did Race Come From?” ww.rightsmatter.org/curriculum/links/race_came_from.html

“The Roots of Racism” www.rightsmatter.org/curriculum/links/roots_of_racism.pdf

“The Biology of Race” www.rightsmatter.org/curriculum/links/biology_of_race.html

State Voting Requirements

This is information on the criteria for voting in California. www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

This Web site lists state-by-state voter registration requirements. http://usgovinfo.about.com/blvrbystate.htm

Felon Disenfranchisement and Voting Reform

This Web site contains pro and con arguments on felon disenfranchisement. http://felonvoting.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=667

Here are resources, publications, data, and articles in support of felon votingrights. www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=133

Wood, Erica. (May 11, 2009). Restoring the Right to Vote. Brennan Center forJustice at New York University School of Law. This publication argues for therestoration of voting rights for convicted felons. www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/restoring_the_right_to_vote/

Clegg, Roger, George T. Conway III, Kenneth K. Lee. (May 10, 2006). The CaseAgainst Felon Voting. The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studiesoffers a publication arguing against the restoration of felon voting rights. www.fed-soc.org/publications/detail/the-case-against-felon-voting

Activity 3C: Change and the Individual

Handout 30: Students Making a Difference

SoundOut: Promoting Student Voice in Schools

This site, hosted by a “socially oriented private company,” lists several examplesof youth-led school change projects based on the work of Adam Fletcher’sFrameworks for Student Involvement. www.soundout.org/features/schoolupdates.html

Youth on Board

This site describes efforts by Boston-area youth to enact changes in school districtpolicy, organize youth activists and create resource groups, host communityforums, and become involved in school planning efforts. www.youthonboard.org/site/c.ihLUJ7PLKsG/b.2046677/k.E09D/Examples.Htm

United Students (Inner City Struggle)

This site describes the work of a Los Angeles community-based organizationengaged in several campaigns for civic action. Several projects that incorporatedyouth in making changes to school policy and conditions are described here. http://innercitystruggle.org/section/view/new_schools

Philadelphia Student Union

This Philadelphia-based group engages in projects and campaigns organizedthrough student-led school chapters. The site includes their organizing model,projects and campaigns, press coverage, student writing, and a multimedia section. http://home.phillystudentunion.org/

Youth Leadership for Action (Constitutional Rights Foundation)

This site describes sample projects of youth-led teams based in high schools.Working with an adult sponsor, students propose, plan, and enact positivechanges in their communities. Activities include public safety service projects andthe improvement of school tutoring programs. www.crf-usa.org/youth-leadership-for-action/youth-leadership-foraction.html

Activity 3F: The Importance of Evidence

Modeling the Credibility of a Web Site

Sites with sample arguments about school uniforms.

www.educationbug.org/a/school-dress-codes.html

www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

www.ithaca.edu/wise/topics/school_uniforms.htm

www.gate.net/~rwms/UniformLinksEffects.html

Sample Debates About School Uniforms

Debate.org, an online debate website, includes a number of debates on thetopic of school uniforms. www.debate.org/debates/?x=0&y=0&keywords=school+uniforms

Debatepedia describes itself as “the Wikipedia of debates. . . . an encyclopediaof pro and con arguments and quotes.” Several debates over school uniforms areongoing at this site. ttp://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_School_uniform

LoveToKnow Kids is an online resource for parents. The link below goes to asummary of the pros and cons of school uniforms. The site also includes piecestitled Advantages of School Uniforms, Facts Against School Uniforms, SchoolUniform Gallery, School Uniform Debate, The School Uniform Debate: An ImageConsultant Weighs In, and Benefits of School Uniforms, which may be of interest. http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Pros_and_Cons_of_School_Uniforms