American Government Q2 Benchmark

uAmirah Burkett

Quarter 2 Benchmark

Judicial:

Positive

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

"Civil Rights: Brown v. Board of Education." National Center. The National Center For Public Policy Research, Jun 29, 1998. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://www.nationalcenter.org/brown.html>.

Cozzens, Lisa. "Brown v. Board of Education." Early Civil Right Struggle. Copyright © 1995 Lisa Cozzens, Jun 29, 1998. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown.html>.

The Browns, an African American family, tried to enroll their daughter Linda Brown in a school that only allowed white children to attend. Brown Vs. Board of Education of Topeka was a court case that was first argued December 9th, 1952. The case was re-argued December 8th, 1935 and on May 17, 1954 they came to a decision. The Supreme Court decided to suppress segregation in US Public Schools allowing blacks and whites to learn in the same classrooms. The decision made a great impact on public schools systems in the entire country. This case was very important to me as an African American student. Because I attend a diverse school such as Science Leadership Academy, I’m able to communicate a lot better with an average person. The experience of learning with people of a different race is very beneficial. I believe I learn a lot more than most average African American Students attending public schools in Philadelphia because I’m able to take in ideas from people of a different race.

Positive

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Cline, Austin. "Agonosticism/Atheism: Engel v. Vitale (1962)." National Center. The National Center For Public Policy Research, n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://atheism.about.com/od/churchstatedecisions/a/EngelVitale.htm>.

Parents who disagreed with their children reciting the school’s mandatory prayer sued the Board of education of New Hype Park, New York. The prayer stated: Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg thy blessings upon us our parents our teachers and our country. The Supreme Court came to a decision June 25, 1962 ruling 7 to 1 that requiring students to recite prayers was unconstitutional. Engel v. Vitale was a very important case of the religious aspect brought to the Supreme Court. When I was younger in middle school I had the choice of standing or leaving the room for the pledge of allegiance. Coming from an Islamic family, I believe we should have the right to not recite a prayer of a different belief and when forced to say a prayer that isn’t from your religion is discourteous. I learned to have respect for other people’s religions and they learned to have respect for mine.

Negative

New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)

Cline, Austin. "Agonosticism/Atheism: Engel v. Vitale (1962)." About.com. About.com, n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://atheism.about.com/od/churchstatedecisions/a/EngelVitale.htm>.

In a school a teacher suspected that some students were smoking cigarettes in the school’s restrooms. She walked in on a freshman student (T.L.O.) and her friend. She escorted the girls to the Principal's office where he then began to search through her belongings when denying the allegations brought against her. He found cigarettes along with other paraphernalia and got the teenager student arrested. The Supreme Court reached a decision January 15, 1983 saying that the principal had the right to search her things if he felt as though it was jeopardizing the well being of the students that attended that school. Attending a school such as Science Leadership Academy we have an abundance of freedom. Searching my belongings wouldn’t be something I’d enjoy. I think we all are entitled to our privacy inside and outside of school and searching my personal belongings would be violating my rights as an American citizen regardless of the environment I’m in.

Negative

Bethel School District #43 v. Fraser (1987)

"BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 403 ET AL. v. FRASER, A MINOR, ET AL.." UMKC School of Law. UMKC School of Law, n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/firstamendment/bethel.html>.

Attending Bethel High School a student Matthew Fraser made a speech about a student candidate he supported. The problem with this speech was that he

Executive:

Positive

FAFSA

"About Federal Student Aid." Federal Student Aid Gateway. N.p., June 28, 2010. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/about/index.html>.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a branch of the United States Department of Education that is beneficial to American citizens who are from 18 to 25 years of age. The application consists of 130 questions and it’s to provide money for college based on your parent’s income and need of money for specific institutions. The only sweet thing about being less fortunate in America is receiving an education and getting money to help you pay your college tuition. I will receive an acceptable amount of money for the colleges I’ve applied to because of the reduced income of my mother. It’s nice not to have a lot to pay back after graduating college.

Positive

Registering a car

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/new_residents/motor_vehicle.shtml

Negative

Welfare

http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/welfare

http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-apply-for-food-stamps-in-pennsylvania

Welfare benefits have been supporting the families with no or low income for about 50 years. The purpose of Welfare is to help the low-income families to insure healthy lives. Applying for Welfare in the state of Pennsylvania is very simple. Just like any other bureaucratic process there are certain qualifications you must have in order to obtain foot stamps. Food stamps have become a necessity amongst many citizens today because there are fewer jobs than people. The reason for this specific bureaucratic process being a negative for me is although my mother makes a substantial amount of money we’re still struggling. Unlike Welfare, FAFSA contributes more to my college tuition than what my mother would receive on food stamps. With the divorce, If provided with Welfare, she can’t receive as much as she needs because they believe she makes more than enough to provide for her family size, which isn’t necessarily true.

Negative

Divorce

http://www.divorcesource.com/info/divorcelaws/pennsylvania.shtml

Divorce is one of the longest bureaucratic processes. Divorce is a process in which you are legally separated from your spouse. Finances, the children, and possessions all get distributed based on what the couple agrees on or what the court decides. There are one million of outcomes to getting a Divorce. One of them for me was adjusting to a new lifestyle. I wasn’t raised by my biological father but my step father did take care of me and about a year and a half ago my step father and my mom filed for a divorce. It was a devastating time for my siblings and I because we didn’t know how to cope without a father figure. My mother explained to us that he wasn’t doing what he was supposed to do as a spouse. Finances and possession always seem to be the major concerns of getting a divorce, rarely worrying about how it affects the children’s everyday lives. If marriage was a permanent thing I think adults will take it more serious.

Legislative:

Positive

The 15th Amendment

"15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights (1870)." Our Documents. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=old&doc=44>.

The 15th Amendment is an amendment that allows people of all races to vote regardless of their previous slave history. The 15th amendment was ratified February 3rd 1870. It was not until, Voting Rights Act of 1965, different races started to effectively vote in the South. For many years they disfranchised people of color. This Amendment positively affects my life as an African American. When I am of age I will vote because it is a right that was giving to me almost century and a half ago. With the 15th amendment I am allowed to place my vote on who I think is best for the country that I live and work in.

Negative

Philadelphia Curfew Ordinance

Being as though I’m under the age of 18 The Philadelphia Curfew Ordinance negatively effects my life as a teenager. This law allows policemen to take me off the street between 10:30pm and 6am on weekdays and 12:00am to 6am on weekends. I don’t have a curfew besides the City’s curfew. Though my mother doesn’t enforce the Curfew law I still could be taken into a police station and processed for not obeying Curfew. With a curfew I am not allowed to do normal teenage things like party or the movies. When I am of age The Philadelphia Curfew Ordinance is going to negatively effect me because I have a problem with leaving without identification cards and because I look younger I would be arrested because I didn’t have an I.D. on me at the time.

Negative

No Child Left Behind (2001)

The No Child Left Behind act is an act that those of a public district