Human Rights Process ModelSchool: Fridley ALC, Jennifer DeMars Grade Level: 9-12Topic: Discrimination in the Judicial SystemLesson Summary: Curriculum developed by the Northwest Suburban Integration School District’s educators during the 2006 Summer Multicultural Curriculum Writing Academy, a program of the NWSISD Multicultural Resource |
Print |
Learning Goals |
|
Lesson Plan |
Read the book Black and White by Paul Volponi through the lens of human rights. Use the book as a springboard for discussing human rights, especially discrimination in the judicial system. |
Selected Principles |
Equality Human Dignity Inalienability Indivisibility Interdependency Non-Discrimination Responsibility |
Human Rights Language, |
Non-Discrimination Responsibility Individual Rights Government Responsibility Social Responsibility Cultural Rights Economic Justice Inalienable Indivisibility Interdependence Moral Rights and Responsibilities Sovereignty Universality |
Practices and Skills |
Critical Thinking Skills Social Responsibility Knowing Human Rights Critical Thinking Skills Examining Assumption Integrating Human Rights into Personal Awareness and Behaviors Knowing Human Rights Standards |
Human Rights Standards |
Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
MN Education Standards |
Rdg and Lit 4/I.C, 5/I.C. Rdg and Lit 11-12/I.B., D. Writing 9-11/II.A.-B. 9-10/II.D Writing 11-12/II.A. |
Learning Activities |
|
| Activity A. Observe and Identify the Human Rights Issue What is happening on a local, national, and global level with this issue? |
|
Key Question |
Does our judicial system discriminate against minorities? If so, why and how? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To recognize that minorities are often treated unequally in our judicial system. To recognize some reasons why minorities are treated unequally. To recognize some ways that discrimination in our judicial system can be changed. |
Time |
About 15 hours |
Steps |
NB: This activity presumes that students have already been introduced to human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). 1. Assign students to read Black and White by Paul Volponi. • Ask students to keep a personal reaction journal as they read. 2.Discuss issues raised by the reading, especially thoughts on the judicial system and how the two main characters are treated. • Ask for examples of discrimination in Black and White, identifying the victims, perpetrators, and circumstances. • Do patterns of discrimination appear? • Could these examples of discrimination have been prevented? If so, how? • Relate these examples of discrimination to violation of specific human rights. 3. As preparation for research, remind students that minority status is based not only on race, but also other factors. • Read aloud Article 2 of the UDHR: "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." • Do minority groups other than those in Black and White experience discrimination in judicial system? 4. Assign research on minority groups, especially using groups identified in prior discussion. • Include research on local, state, and federal judicial systems. 5. Present information about discrimination in the US judicial system to the class. |
Assessment |
Reaction journal Class discussion Participation Quality of research Presentation of information |
| Activity B. Observe and Share Stories How have our ancestors worked to promote and protect this human rights issue? Who within our schools, families and communities promotes and protects this human rights issue? |
|
Key Question |
Why are few minorities involved in the US judicial system? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To learn some obstacles to careers in the judicial system faced by minority members |
Time |
3 hours |
Steps |
1. List some of the key personnel in the judicial system (e.g., police officers, prosecution and defense lawyers, judges, social workers, jail and prison officials) • Define the function of each of these roles and its influences on how the justice system works. • What qualifications does a person need to fill each of these roles? 2. Invite some guest speakers from the community who play these roles to participate in a panel discussion on the issue of discrimination in the judicial system. • Where possible have students identify these speakers, contact them, write them invitations, host them, and send written thank you notes. • Have students prepare questions to ask the panel. • Arrange student moderators for the panel. Invite other classes to attend. 3. Have students write reflections following the panel discussion. |
Assessment |
Note taking and question asking during the panel. Reflection writing after the panel discussion. |
| Activity C. Generate Responses or Formulate Positions and Make Predictions What could we do? What will happen if we do that? |
|
Key Question |
How can we end discrimination in our judicial system? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To explore ways to end discrimination in our judicial system. |
Time |
3 hours |
Steps |
1. Brainstorm ways to end discrimination in the justice system. • What are the key questions that need to be answered? • What efforts are already being taken to end this discrimination? • Brainstorm how to get needed information about this issue. 2. Research the issue. Some websites that might help: www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/cj/ http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/race/criminal_justice.htm http://www.americanexperiment.org/uploaded/files/aequ4n3hinderakerjohnson.pdf www.cccr.org/chapter14.pdf http://www.juvjustice.org/media/issues.html#three http://www.aecf.org/publications/advocasey/spring2003/walls/walls2.htm http://www.buildingblocksforyouth.org/latino_rpt/act_pk_fact_inequality.html http://www.edjj.org/Publications/pub_06_13_00_2.html http://www1.umn.edu/irp/racialprof/Fridley%20Final.pdf 3. Report on research projects. 4. In small groups discuss personal responses to research and formulate ideas on ending discrimination in the justice system. Share ideas with the class. 5. Discuss: What can students do to help end discrimination in the judicial system? • Discuss pros and cons of the ideas. |
Assessment |
Research notes Class discussion Participation |
| Activity D. Select a Response or Position and Take Action What is the best response or position? |
|
Key Question |
How can we end discrimination in our judicial system? |
Activity Goal(s) |
Working as small groups, students plan a way they can take action to address discrimination in the justice system. |
Time |
5 hours |
Steps |
1. Assign students working in small groups to choose a focus in the area of judicial discrimination 2. Each group will develop a plan for taking action to end discrimination in the justice system. • See Handout 7, "Ten Tips for Taking Action," and Handout 8, "Action Plan Worksheet, (This is My Home pp. 88-9) for guidelines on making action plans. • For example, one way might be for more minority students to have careers in the system. To help students learn about such careers, students might want to shadow a police officer, lawyer, and so on. Students might need to contact such people to see if they would be interested in having a student shadow them. For example students might: interview pro bono defense attorneys and/or legal aid offices. • investigate police training in human rights and non-discrimination. • investigate the state bar associations requirements or testing on legal education in human rights and non-discrimination. • interview and/or volunteer for local activists or organizations working on these issues. 3. Ask each group to write up and submit its action plan, including a time line. 4. Each group presents its action plan to the class for feedback. Optional Step: Ask each group to identify and contact an individual or organization in the community to evaluate their plan and provide feedback and suggestions. • For example, community groups or activists working on discrimination or reforming the justice system. • Ideally this evaluation takes place in person, though written, electronic or telephone consultations can also be useful. • Ask groups to report on the feedback received and how it may have changed the initial plan. |
Assessment |
Group participation Group activity and plan |
| Activity E. Observe and Collect Information What happened when we took action? Whose lives did we impact? |
|
Key Question |
Was the action plan effective? How did the action plan impact the community? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To evaluate each group's plan based on community input. |
Time |
5 hours |
Steps |
1. Ask each group to identify and contact an individual or organization in the community to provide feedback on their action. • If students took the optional step in Activity E, they should revisit the same individuals or organizations. 2. Students prepare interview questions and submit before the interview. 3. Students conduct the evaluation interviews 4. Each group reports to the class on interview results. This report could take a variety of forms (e.g., essay or article, power point presentation, poster, oral presentation). 5. Discuss with the class the overall results of their action. |
Assessment |
Interview questions written. Report on interview |
| Activity F. Reflect and Draw Conclusions What did we learn? Was the intent of the action? the actual impact? |
|
Key Question |
What are some ways we can end discrimination in the judicial system? Can we as students make a difference? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To evaluate how well our action plans worked or might work. To come up with possible future plans. |
Time |
2 hours |
Steps |
1. Write individually about your action plan. • How well did it work? • What was the greatest success? Disappointment? • What would you change? 2. Discuss individual responses with the small group. • How well did our plan work? • How would we change what we did? • How did we work together as a group? 3. Ask a representative of each group to summarize their group’s evaluation. 4. Discuss how this experience might lead to different future planning for action to this or other issues. |
Assessment |
Individual writing Group participation Class participation |
| Activity G. Communicate and Demonstrate Learning How will we share what we learned within our schools, families, and communities? |
|
Key Question |
What have we learned about ending discrimination in our judicial system? |
Activity Goal(s) |
To share what students have learned about ending discrimination in our judicial system. |
Time |
3 hours |
Steps |
1. Assign students to write a personal reflection on what they learned from the experience. 2. Ask small groups to choose a way to tell about their learning. Some suggestions include: • Make a poster telling ways to end racial discrimination in the judicial system. • Write an article for the parent newsletter telling about your group or individual experience. • Write a letter thanking someone for his/her participation and telling him/her what you learned. • Write a letter to your local newspaper or human rights commission telling about your experiences and telling your future suggestions. • Write a letter to the police department suggesting they offer a youth shadowing program. 3. Students make their presentations. |
Assessment |
Individual reflection Completed poster, article, or letter depending on what the group or individual has chosen to do. |
Assessment |
|
Student Impact |
Administer a pre-test to establish what students know about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and minority treatment in our judicial system. Give the same test as a post test to see if results have improved/changed. Here are some questions to consider: • Have are human rights? List some of your human rights. • Have you ever heard of the UDHR? List what you know about the UDHR. • List what you know about discrimination in the judicial system. • List what can be done to end discrimination in the judicial system. |
School Impact |
Use the survey activity “Taking the Temperature of Your School” as a pre- and post-test:www.hrusa.org/thisismyhome/project/temp.shtml. |
Family Impact |
Survey parents of students who participated in the project. Here are some questions to consider: • Did your student talk to you about human rights before he/she took the class? About the judicial system? About taking action to bring about social change? • Please list items he/she talked about. • Did your student talk to you about human rights during or after he/she took the class? About the judicial system? About taking action to bring about social change? • Please list items he/she talked about. • What changes, if any, have you noticed about your student since taking this class? Please list as many as you can think of. |
Community Impact |
E-mail survey to community members who interacted with the class about their experiences and thoughts for possible future interactions. |
Handouts |
|
| No Handouts Attached |