Learning Activity: First Amendment Issues

Have students research more recent Supreme Court decisions related to First Amendment issues in school or in the community at-large. Ask students to complete group case studies by summarizing the facts, identifying the constitutional issues involved, explaining the opposing arguments, discussing the Supreme Court’s decision and the reasons for that decision.

Cases might include: Engel v. Vitale (1962) school prayer, Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969) students symbolic expression, and Board of Education Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982) school district banning books. All of these cases are summarized in U.S. Supreme Court Decisions: A Case Study Review for U.S. History and Government, Project P.A.T.C.H. of the Northport-East Northport U.F.S.D.and the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program of the New York State Bar Association and State Education Department, 1999, p. 22. Contact: www.lycny.org for copies.)