Wednesday, 8/31

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

December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks

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

Today’s Morality and Politics of Justice Driving Questions: 
What is Justice?
What is the difference between a just and unjust law?
How do security/liberty/equality play out in our legal system?
 
Class Biz

• Turn in your signed syllabus and "I'm More Than Just  a Pretty Face"
• Honors lunch meeting tomorrow

Starter #3
Intro to Law and Justice
Watch this short video explaining  New York City's big gulp soda ban. Then choose 2 of the following 4 prompts. Write well-developed responses that show you're thinking about both sides of the issue but clearly defending your stance.

1. Abortion should be illegal
2. We should be required to wear our seat belts
3. New York City's big gulp soda ban is a just law.
4. We should obey the law

AGENDA
1. Four corners on starter prompts

2. Intro to Morality and Politics of Justice Essential Question #1: What is Justice?
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. Groups of 3-4  Discussion

• Take turns discussing how you each define justice
• Look at the three images at the top of the blog today. What do you know about each event? What questions does it raise? What thoughts or feelings does it evoke?
• What do all three of those images have in common? (What seems to be the common theme or idea connecting them?)

4. SECURITY, LIBERTY, EQUALITY
 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​

5. Discussion: 

• What do you think is the most important value we should consider when establishing norms/laws for our society between Security, Equality and Freedom? Why? 
• Do you think any of the laws we have on the whiteboard are unjust? Why? What criteria are you using to determine that?

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 lines that describes Dr. King's distinction between a just law and unjust law
• Highlight the lines where King defends his "direct action" methods compared to courtroom negotiation
• Circle any words or phrases that you don't understand
• When you finish, jot down some thoughts in your starter google doc to the seminar questions below

 
Seminar Questions on  Dr. King's Letter

• 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?  
• How does King use ethos, pathos and logos to be persuasive? (Ashley will explain what ethos/pathos/logos means).