Judicial:

Positive:

Brown Vs. Board of Education

• Cozzen, Lisa. "Brown." Early Civil Rights. Lisa Cozzen, 29 jun 1998. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown.html>.
• Brown vs. Board of Education was a case that came to the conclusion that segregated education was unconstitutional. Because of this case, schools were able to come together and intermix races. This judicial case has affected my learning experience because if this didn’t happen, I would still be in a segregated school system. It would have kept the school system separated and biased towards other people’s opinion. I also believe that if this case never existed then I would not be getting the education that I am receiving now.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

•  "Supreme Court Cases." History and Government. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/us/supreme-court/cases/ar10.html>.
• Engel v. Vitale was a case given to the Supreme Court against the New York School System concerning the topic on religion. Basically, the New York School System was set up to have morning prayer to god. However, this was challenged and was considered unconstitutional because it violated the first amendment therefore, the Supreme Court ruled against it. I agree with this case because I believe that religion should not be apart of schools. Being uncertain about my religion I would feel pressured and uncomfortable doing this in school.

Negative:

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

• "Supreme Court Cases." History and Government. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/us/supreme-court/cases/ar24.html>.
• New Jersey vs. T.L.O was a case given to the Supreme Court where a female student was accused of smoking on school grounds. When sent to the principle’s offices she had her bags searched and they found cigarettes and other drug substances, causing her to be categorized as a delinquent. She challenged this claim, declaring that the school had violated her rights. However, the Supreme Court ruled that the school was within its limits because a student has less privacy in school. This has a negative affect on me because to know that I can be accused of doing something and even have my personal belongings searched, I’d feel violated.

Board of Education of Independent School District #92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls (2002)

• "Supreme Court." FindLaw. FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business, 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=01-332>.
• The Board of Education of Independent School #92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls was a case given to the Supreme Court where a school decided to do a drug test for all new athletes. The Supreme Court deemed this legal and stated that it was not breaking any amendments. I understand where they are going with this however, I feel like this is a bad way of going about it. Seeing as though they have no reason to suspect them of doing drugs then I wouldn’t see why it is necessary to test them. Being an athlete, I would feel some type of way about having to take a drug test in order to play a sport. I just feel as though it’s violating my rights as a person.

Executive:

Positive:

FAFSA

• "About Federal Student Aid." Federal Student Aid Gateway. N.p., 28 jun 2010. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/about/index.html>.
• Fafsa is a program that gives students financial aid for college based on need and merit. I believe that this program is very helpful, especially since many of my colleges have at least a $40,000 tuition. I’m going to be the one paying for college so I need all the help that I can get.

Philadelphia School District

• "About Us." The School District of Philadelphia. School District of Philadelphia, 05 jan 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/about/>.
• The Philadelphia School District is the eighth largest school district in the nation that focuses on giving students a high quality education. I believe that the Philadelphia school district is essential for many children in this city because not everyone can afford private school. I used to go to private school and it took a lot of needed money away from my parents. When I switched to public school it became easier on them and I noticed that I was much more comfortable.

Negative:

Curfew

• Pennsylvania Legislator’s Municipal Desk Book., 2006. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:tcDxhmDG-y8J:www.lgc.state.pa.us/deskbook06/Issues_Health_Welfare_and_Safety_04_Juvenile_Curfews.pdf+curfew+laws+in+pa&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiPZjJm--PeXaHulaeLp26TuwSSXuwDlVfTeRsLy3nQXkl7yZ2VXKVfSofv50fBwQwzfhJ2oyfmk93nnRG8mdOMvTF2M9lAoJjFUIY6AOy4QePOfxPj4OTy3p78JvUdAgCMIRB0&sig=AHIEtbRuTjx4PMltdD3KS8w9KihN8aJ6-g>

• Curfew laws don’t allow minors (under the age of 18) to be out late at night. I understand this law but then again I feel as though this law is not necessary. There are already kids roaming the streets but they have reasons of their own for doing this. Even though I’m about to turn 18 in a couple of months, if I wanted to hang out with friends and catch a late night movie with my friends I wouldn’t be able to because I would need a parent or guardian with me.

Underage Drinking

• Hanson, David. "The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984." Alcohol Problems and Solutions. D. J. Hanson, n.d. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/youthissues/1092767630.html>.
• The National Minimum Drinking Age Act required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21. However, it doesn’t specify whether those under 21 years of age are allowed to consume alcohol. That is why when those under that specified age are caught drinking, they are charged with “public possession.” So I’m not going to lie.I do consume alcohol and I always thought that I had to do it in secret because it was against the law for minors to consume alcohol. Since it is not, it is making me question the "rights" that I have as an adult. If I can buy and smoke cigarettes than I don't see why I can't drink.

Legislative:

Positive:

Senate Bill 305

• United States. Senate Bill No. 305. , 2009. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2009&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0305&pn=0304>.
• This bill prohibits texting while driving. I agree with this because I almost got into an accident because I was texting while driving. I realized the scary way how stupid it was and everytime I see my brother doing it or even looking at an email I take away the phone. Texting while driving is almost as stupid as putting your makeup on while driving.

New Education Loan Law

• Baker, Peter. "Obama Signs Overhaul of Student Loan Program." New York Times (2010): n. pag. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/us/politics/31obama.html>.         
•  The New Education Loan Law was signed to expand college access by changing the federal student loan program. This law will provide more grants to students and also make it easier for previous and on going students to pay back their loans. This is important to me because as a Senior going into college I’m going to need all the help I can get and I know that either way I will still need to get a loan for college. Seeing first hand at what my sister is still going through with having to pay back her loans for college, I’m preparing for the worse. However, this gives me some hope that I might get a better deal when it comes to taking out a loan for college.

Negative:

No Child Left Behind

• White, Deborah. "Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act ." U.S. Liberal Politics. About.com, n.d. Web. 16 Jan 2011. <http://usliberals.about.com/od/education/i/NCLBProsCons.htm>.
• The No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to somehow give every student an equal opportunity to education. It gives school districts with better test grades more money than others. I personally hate this act. I would say that most of my education has been memorized instead of actually learned because of teachers trying to better our scores. Because of this, I feel as though I lack the basic needs for different subjects now.

Parent’s Right To Know

• "H.R. 2752 Parent’s Right to Know Act of 2009." Legislation. SBA List, n.d. Web. 18 Jan 2011. <http://www.sba-list.org/legislation/pro-life/hr-2752-parent%E2%80%99s-right-know-act-2009>.
• The Parent’s Right To Know Act makes it so that a minor can’t get an abortion unless a parent or legal guardian gives their consent or unless a judge says otherwise. I feel as though this wrong because from personal occasions, my own parents have told me that if me or my sister ever became pregnant, then they would disown us. I feel as though a minor should have the right to choose whether to tell their parent or if they’re pregnant or not. Also, they made this decision to not use the right protection so it should be their decision to handle the situation by themselves or with someone by their side.