When is the filibuster a constitutional tool for good, and when is it a political roadblock? To help students explore this question, you can introduce news headlines like this one from the Associated Press, then use Activity 3A from Foundations in Law, Unit 1: Human Nature, Rules, and Power. In Activity 3A, students consider ways in which each component of the legal system may check the powers of the others, and compare the federal system to checks and balances in their own school community. Students may choose to use their voices to advocate for the preservation or eradication of the filibuster and its role in advancing or blocking civil rights.
