Name (required):

  Expression ^{(Optional mood/title along with your name) Examples: (happy, sad, The Joyful, etc.) help)}

  E-mail address (required):

* Type your message here:
>(This is repeated from David Pego's posting to the >national Newspaper education listserve.) > >Teachers will have a wonderful civics lesson to follow >in the news for a couple of weeks -- or maybe longer. > >In case you haven't seen the story yet, entertainer >Oprah Winfrey has been chosen to serve on a jury pool >for a murder case. It's not a high-profile killing >and initial news reports indicate she wants to do her >civic duty but also hopes it doesn't take too much >time. > >Explain to students how the legal system works. Or >better yet, ask them first to explain to you how the >system works. Caution them not to divulge details of >their own encounters wih the legal system if they >already have run afoul of community laws. But as a >group, discuss why it is important to have laws to >gide our behavior and why it is even more important to >have a system in which someone accused of a crime can >plead their case in front of a judge or a judge and >jury. > >If you can invite a lawyer to come in and explain >briefly how the state laws are enforced in your area, >it might make for a compelling classroom >question-and-answer session. > >Discuss as a group whether Oprah should be faulted for >not wanting to take time away from taping her >television show to sit for days in a jury box. > >Most important, explain that good and great newspapers >try not only to report horrific crimes but also >attempt to cover the resolution of those criminal >investigations. News should not just be crime. It >should be crime and punishment, when warranted. > >Then bring the discussion a bit closer to home for >many of your teens. Ask them how they feel about >illegally copying music CD's and videos for friends. >Is it right? Is it wrong? > >Here is a link to one story about the Oprah jury call: >(Have students look in your newspaper to find another >version of this news story.) > >http://www.suntimes.com/output/roeper/cst-nws-roep18.ht >ml > >Good luck!
Choose Message Icon: None :-) Happy ;-) Wink :-D Joy :} Smirk <:-} Innocent ☮ Peace >:) Mischief B-) Shades <3 Heart |O Yawn <:P Sick >:-( Angry :~( Sad ? Question *!* Alert Thumbs Up Thumbs Down (!) Idea [Info] Info Oo. Talk [ View Emoticons ]

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.