Thursday, August 21: First day of school!

December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks

Source: New York Times Victim: Walter Gadsen Birmingham Campaign, 1963

Source: Jeff Widener of the Associated Press Tiananmen Square June 5th 1989

Today’s Question: 
What is the difference between a just and unjust law?

Today's Goals:

• Understand King’s distinction between just and unjust laws
• Evaluate why we have laws 
• Develop your perspective on whether a law is just or not

 
Starter (in your Humanities notebook)
A. Respond to 2 of the following 4 prompts:

1. The death penalty is a fair law
   
2. We should be required to wear our seat belts
   
3. We should have laws
   
4. We should obey the law

B. Make a name tent like Ashley's example

• Your first name
• Two of your interests/passions

AGENDA
1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Today's Key Terms

JUSTICE (why are these definitions problematic?)

• based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair
  
• getting what one deserves (punishment or reward)
• fairness

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: The deliberate violation of a law for SOCIAL purpose (not individual or private gain) 

Food for thought: But why would someone protest laws?  How do we determine which laws are protest-worthy? (review civil disobedience images-- what made these folks protest?)

3. Four Corners

4. Whole Class: Where do beliefs come from?

5.   Discussion 
    
    A. As a group decide which of these following 3 statements you most agree with and         then come up with a law that proves each statement true (past or present law).               Lastly, write your law on the board under the correct column.

• Laws should be designed to maximize our safety/security
  
• Laws should be designed to maximize our freedom
  
• Laws should be designed to maximize equality

      B. Whole class discussion:  discuss the tension between security/liberty/equality

6. Read Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter From a Birmingham Jail"

• Highlight a section/quote that strikes you as powerful/inspiring/convincing
  
• Highlight the line that best describes Dr. King's distinction b/w a just law and unjust law
  
• Highlight the lines where King defends his "direct action" methods compared to courtroom negotiation
• Circle any words or ideas that you don't understand
• When you finish, grab a copy of my class syllabus and begin reading through it and jotting down questions on the last page.

7. Class Seminar on  Dr. King's Letter
SEMINAR RUBRIC (just to review, this is not graded)

• Clarify any confusions still remaining
  
• Share quote selections
• How does Dr. King distinguish between an unjust and just law? 
  
• Do you agree that we have a moral responsibility to obey just laws and disobey unjust laws? 
  
• How do we decide what is just or unjust? 
  
• Would you ever sacrifice your freedom or life in the way MLK and other civil rights activists did? 
  
• Do you believe he deserves to pay for breaking an unjust law? 
  
• Critics of King’s tactics said the fight for desegregation should happen in the courts, not on the streets. Do you agree? Do you trust our “Justice system”?
• King argues freedom is never voluntarily given up by the oppressor.  Do you agree? What other political/social event supports your opinion?  

8. Welcome to Ashley's beautiful DP!

9. Homework/Class Biz

• Enter homework in planners
• Honors application + brief overview of Honors Humanities
• Announcements
• See the tab "Homework/Calendar" for details on this week's homework plus important links

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