1. Brown vs. Board of education- Positive, Judicial
2. Tinker Vs. Des Moines- Positive, Judicial
3. Hazelwood School District Vs. Kuhlmeier- Negative, Judicial
4. New Jersey Vs. T.L.O.- Negative, Judicial
5. FAFSA- Positive, Executive
6. Pennsylvania Adoption Laws- Positive, Executive
7. Block Party Permit- Negative, Executive
8. Divorce Laws- Negative, Executive
9. Labor Laws- Positive, Legislative
10. Food safety law- Positive, Legislative
11. Philly Curfew Law- Negative, Legislative
12. Voting Laws- Negative, Legislative
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Judicial:
Brown Vs. Board of Education-
Cozzen, Lisa. "Early Civil Rights Struggles: Brown v. Board of Education." Www.watson.org. 29 June 1998. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown.html>.
During the 1950s, schools were mostly segregated. Linda Brown needed to walk a mile to get to her black elementary school. There was a white elementary school only seven blocks away so Oliver Brown, Linda's father, tried to enroll her. The principle refused. Brown took it up with the NAACP. Brown helped create equality in schools. This has positively affected my life because without it, I wouldn't have the friends I do now. Without this, I doubt racial boundaries would have been crossed. Since these boundaries were crossed, I now have the chance to pick my own friends and not have to worry about race being an issue.
Tinker Vs. Des Moines-
"Tinker v. Des Moines Ind. Comm. School Dist." Www.oyez.org. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1968/1968_21>.
Three students wanted to protest the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands to their Des Moines school during the Christmas Holiday. The principal feared that these armbands would create trouble so he told the students wearing armbands to remove them or they'd be suspended. When the kids refused to remove their armbands they were suspended. The court took Tinker's side because the principal didn't have evidence to support that these armbands were a threat in any way. This positively affects me, because it gives me freedom of speech. Last year when kids wanted to wear tape over there mouths to support homosexuals, no one said anything. When everyone wanted to wear purple to recognize the suicides, no one was against it. Since we are free to speak and support the causes we want, it means I am growing up in a healthy environment. My opinions and views won't be silenced.
Hazelwood School District Vs. Kuhlmeier-
"Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier." Www.oyez.org. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1987/1987_86_836>.
The school newspaper, the Spectrum, for Hazelwood East High School was written and edited by students. During May 1983, the principal saw two pages that he found inappropriate and made it so they weren't appeared publicly. The court ruled that it didn't go against student speech. This negatively affects my life because I feel like this takes away my freedom of speech. The principal should have discussed with the students about how to make the articles less inappropriate instead of taking the articles out entirely. I don't like that if I felt my student speech was being taken away, that the court wouldn't support me. Freedom of speech is important to me, and I don't like feeling like that's being taken away from me.
New Jersey Vs. T.L.O-
"New Jersey v. T.L.O."www.oyez.org. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1983/1983_83_712>.
T.L.O. was accused of smoking cigarettes in the girls' bathroom at her high school. The principal asked her questions, and the searched her purse. The principle found some marijuana and other drug paraphernalia. There was a question that the search violated the fourth and fourteenth amendments. The court decided that this did not go against or violate the constitution because the presence of rolling papers gave the principle a reason to do a further search. This negatively impacts me because I believe it goes against my rights. I don't think that teachers should be able to search kids belongings unless there is a legitimate reason. In the case of New Jersey Vs. T.L.O. there was a reason, but I still don't think it's appropriate to ever search through a kids belongings. They were looking for cigarettes, not other drugs. I don't understand how rolling paper had anything to do with cigarettes. A few years ago, we needed to have our lockers and school bags searched because here was a stolen laptop. I didn't think it was fair to be searched if there was no lead to you being suspected for stealing it.
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Executive:
FAFSA-
"About Federal Student Aid." Federalstudentaid.ed.gov. 28 June 2010. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/about/index.html>.
FAFSA is an application that incoming college students should fill out because it will help to figure out how much there family can contribute. FAFSA is a form from the U.S. Department of Education that an incoming college student fills out, which is designed to make paying for college easier. This is something positive for me because it's making the college process a lot easier for me. I wouldn't be able to go to college without FAFSA because I wouldn't be able to afford it. When my sister applied for FAFSA, she received money to help her, which was a great plus. Since I'm the second child in my family going to college, I will most likely receive more.
Adoption Law-
"Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange (PAE)." Www.adoptpakids.org. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.adoptpakids.org/AdoptionExchange.aspx>.
There are a lot of steps to becoming divorced. Mainly, there are residency requirements that must be met for the court to accept the case. If this court finds out that it does not have jurisdictional rights to hear the case, it won't be accepted. Each spouse has to be a resident of Pennsylvania for at least six months prior from filing for divorce. There are so many more steps that come with filing for divorce, but the one thing that I know is how it has negatively impacted my life. My parents have been divorced ever since I was around a year old. There are custody rules when getting divorced, but I wish they were more defined. I barely see my dad, so divorce has negatively affected my life because of this.
Divorce Law-
"Pennsylvania: State Divorce Laws." Www.divorcesource.com. Divorce Source. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.divorcesource.com/info/divorcelaws/pennsylvania.shtml>.
In 1979, the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange was created. This organization was created in order to help County Children and Youth agencies to find adoptive parents for children in Pennsylvania. Adoption has positively affected my life because when I was younger my aunt adopted my now cousin. I didn't understand the concept at first that he was apart of our family, when I felt like he just appeared. As I got older, I started to understand and appreciate adoption more. Without adoption agencies and sites out there to help adoptive families, I probably wouldn't have my cousin. Even though me and him aren't that close, he's still apart of my family and it wouldn't be the same without him.
Block Party Permit-
"Block Party Permits Guide." Www.phila.gov. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.phila.gov/streets/BlockPartyApp.html>.
To receive a block party permit, you must fill out the application that will be mailed to you once you contact Customer Affairs Unit, or receive one in person. This person must then fill out the application and have the necessary petition signatures. Any incomplete forms will be returned and unprocessed. It's 20 dollars for one block, and an increased fee of 45 dollars for any requests made less that 21 days before the event. This negatively affects my life because I hate block parties. Every single year, one block up from me throws a block party and every year it's such an inconvenience to me. Maybe I would enjoy this block party if I didn't get stopped every time for someone to ask which street I lived on, and the party was only for people living on that specific block. If the people throwing these block party were more open to new comers I think I'd enjoy them more.
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Legislative:
Labor Law-
"Mandatory Postings for Pennsylvania Employers." Www.portal.state.pa.us. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=553565&mode=2>.
The Pennsylvania Labor Laws state that a child under 14 years is not permitted to work, and kids under 18 years need to have there working papers. During the school year, kids that are 14-15 are only allowed to work 4 hours on a school day and 8 hours on any other day. Kids who are 16-17 are allowed to work up to 28 hours a week during school term. This positively affects my life because this allows me to not be over worked. I have time to work on my school work, and focus on my job at the same time. Not being over worked in my job is really good because my grades don't suffer. If this law was never approved, I wouldn't be able to have a job during school because it would have too much of an affect on my grades.
Food Safety Law-
"Food Safety Modernization Act – Passed but Not Funded – A Conversation with Congressman Jack Kingston of the House Appropriations Committee." Www.eyeonfda.com. 10 Jan. 2011. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.eyeonfda.com/eye_on_fda/2011/01/food-safety-modernization-act-passed-but-not-funded-a-conversation-with-congressman-jack-kingston-of-the-house-appropriations-committee.html>.
At the end of the 111th Congress, the Food Safety Modernization Act was passed. In the beginning of January, Obama signed it into law. This means that the FDA has more authority over food recalls and will try and put more healthy food out there. This is positive for me because I like to know what I am eating. I'm not the healthiest person when it comes to what food I eat, but I try to be aware of what I'm eating. If some of the foods we are eating could be dangerous, I don't want to be one of those people and I'd like to know what types of things I am intaking. With this new Act, I will be more aware of the foods I am eating and maybe it'll lead to me eating healthier.
Curfew Law-
Reuters, Thomson. "Examples of Juvenile Curfew Laws and Penalties - Civil Rights." Public.findlaw.com. Thomson Reuters Business. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://public.findlaw.com/civil-rights/curfew-laws/juvenile-curfew-laws-examples.html>.
The Philadelphia Curfew Law states that minors 13 to 17 years of age need will get in trouble if they are out in public places at 10:30 pm to 6:00 am from Sunday till Thursday and Friday and Saturday, from 12:00 am to 6:00 am. For a first violation a minor may have to pay up to 250 dollars or community service and subsequent violations could be up to $300 to $500 fine or community service. The Philadelphia Curfew Law negatively impacts my life because it makes it difficult to be outside after curfew. Sometimes it's necessary for me to come home after curfew, and this law makes it difficult because I don't want to get in trouble. My mom would be very angry if I got stopped by the cops when I was coming home late, but when I babysit on weekends the parents usually don't get home until around two in the morning. Without this law, I'd be able to walk home late at night without worrying about being stopped by the police.
Voting Law-
"Voter Registration Requirements." About.com. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://usgovinfo.about.com/blvrbystate.htm>.
In Pennsylvania you must be a citizen of the U.S. at least a month before the next election, living in Pennsylvania at least 30 days before the next election. You cannot be confined in a penal institution for a felony within the last 5 years, and you need to be 18 years or older in order to vote. Since I have been living in Pennsylvania for all of my life and have never been arrested, the fact that you need to be 18 years or older in order to vote sticks out to me. Since I am only 17, I don't have the right to vote. This negatively impacts my life, because I don't have the freedom to voice my own opinions. Voting is based on opinions because not everyone agrees on the same things. I believe that everyone is entitled to there own opinion, and that shouldn't be taken away because of age. If kids are able to emancipate themselves at the age of 16, why aren't we able to vote? This law takes away my right to opinions and my freedom to voice these opinions.