April 24th, 2012

Travyon Martin Shooting and Stand Your Ground Laws eLesson

Media coverage of the Trayvon Martin case has brought “Stand-Your-Ground” laws to the attention of many throughout the country. Some have speculated that George Zimmerman, charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of Martin, may cite Florida’s “Stand-Your-Ground” law in his defense. Florida’s “Stand-Your-Ground” law was passed in 2005. The law allows those [...]

January 18th, 2012

SOPA Makes the Internet Mad

We recently posted a Teaching With Current Events resource on proposed SOPA and Protect-ID legislation. These proposed pieces of national legislation, which have implications for freedom of speech and private property, have continued to dominate headlines. As David A. Fahrenthold of the Washington Post wrote today, “This is what happens when you make the Internet [...]

October 27th, 2011

Does “no law” really mean no law?

Of all the amendments to the Constitution, the First is, in many respects, the one whose meaning seems most plain. Its protection of speech appears unequivocal: “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.” But some people wonder and worry if this prohibition against speech regulation has been observed by Congress and other government officials.

October 26th, 2011

Bill of Frights! Do we still have the right to a fair trial?

When accused of a crime, every citizen possesses the right to a fair trial–some details of what a fair trial encompasses are laid out in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. But some worry that mandatory minimum-sentencing guidelines are shifting the scales of justice and placing too much power in the hands of prosecutors, thus making it challenging for citizens to receive a fair trial.

October 25th, 2011

Bill of Frights! Can the Government take your Home?

What could be more frightening than violations of our constitutional rights? But is everything that appears to be a violation actually one? This week we’ll explore some current constitutional issues ripped from the headlines, and delve into some questions about whether rights are being violated. We hope you enjoy our Bill of Frights! “For every [...]

October 24th, 2011

Bill of Frights! Do warrantless searches violate the 4th Amendment?

What could be more frightening than violations of our constitutional rights? But is everything that appears to be a violation actually one? This week we’ll explore some current constitutional issues ripped from the headlines, and delve into some questions about whether rights are being violated. We hope you enjoy our Bill of Frights! Under what [...]

May 12th, 2011

Airport Security – Protective or Provocative?

While traveling this weekend, my mom and I were discussing whether we would still be required to take our shoes off at the airport since Osama bin Laden had been killed. She pulled up the TSA website and found that in the last week, they have confiscated: 7 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints 13 firearms [...]

May 3rd, 2011

Facebook and the Fourth Amendment

Internet privacy is an ever growing concern in our tech-savvy era. Recently, United States senators John McCain and John Kerry introduced a bill that called for an internet “privacy bill of rights” in conjunction with the Department of Commerce. “Does the bill do enough to protect our privacy?” The St. Louis Today reported on Monday [...]