The Death Penalty

Today we introduced the Death Penalty by watching this 60 Minutes Report. For the next class period, you must read this article about the Constitutionality of the Death Penalty. You should use these questions to guide your annotations or notes (you may be quizzed on your responses).

Upworthy and Beyond

Today in class your tasks are twofold:
1) Prepare for class tomorrow-Rather than start a new unit, we'll take the opportunity on the day before the Thanksgiving break to open up for some discussion about current events; either stories that are prevalent in the news or perhaps, some that should be. Thus, your task for tomorrow is to come prepared with two items to discuss. One should be a story from a main stream news source or blog about something important going on the world. For the second story, you should explore this site: upworthy.com (scroll down to see the most shared and newer items and also notice the topic bar at the top of the page) and identify a story or video that you want to share and discuss to (as the site's mission statement says) draw attention to a story that matters. When you find something worthy to share, please post a link to it in the comments to this post.

2) After completing #1, you may have any remaining time to revise or edit your abortion paper.

Taking Over the Supreme Court

As you've read, the Supreme Court is going to hear the case of Whole Woman's Health v. Cole. As experts in the moral and legal issues surrounding the issue of abortion that is at the heart of the case, you've been asked to submit a brief to the Court, advising them as to how they should rule.  In their ruling, the Court will be answering the following question:
Whether, when applying the “undue burden” standard of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a court errs by refusing to consider whether and to what extent laws that restrict abortion for the stated purpose of promoting health actually serve the government’s interest in promoting health. 

You should use information from your study of the issue (Unborn in the USA, The Last Abortion Clinic, Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey The Chicago Tribune Editorials, research for mini-debates) in order to answer the question.   A minimum of three sources is required and they should be properly footnoted using Chicago Style.

In addition to answering the question presented, your argument must include an assessment of abortion law overall and determine whether the Court should reconsider the rulings in Casey or Roe, either maintaining the current standard, changing the standard, or eliminating the right to privacy overall.

Thus your argument should include an introductory paragraph that sets the context of the case, introduces your assessment of the current state of the law and ends with a thesis which is your answer to the question above (make sure it includes a why or because).
Your body paragraphs should all begin with topic sentences that make an assertion connected to your argument.
A conclusion that summarizes your argument and tells the Court what the consequences of following (or not following) your advise may be.

Papers should be 2-3 pages, single spaced, use Times New Roman 12 pt font, and be free of errors (remember, the Supreme Court is reading this)!
Papers are due to be submitted to turnitin by class time on Tuesday, 11/24.

If interested, here is a link to the regulations for Ambulatory Surgical Centers in Texas

Abortion 2015

Today in class we'll finish up the mini-debates on abortion. For the rest of the week, you'll be constructing a letter advising the Supreme Court how to rule on the Whole Women's Health v. Cole case that they recently decided to hear. In order to prep for your work, please read this article providing background to the case: Supreme Court Takes Up Major Challenge to Abortion Restrictions.

Abortion Debates

After watching the film The Last Abortion Clinic (Per. 1 on 11/10, Per. 6 on 11/12) and prior to our closer look at the Supreme Court's current decision on whether or not to review the Texas abortion cases, Currier v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and Whole Woman’s Health v. Cole, it will be important for us to continue to work to understand the issues regarding abortion that are still vexing the nation. On Thursday 11/12 (per. 1) and Friday 11/13 (per. 6) we will begin preparations for a series of short debates/discussions we'll be having on these issues.  
After being randomly assigned one of the questions below, you should use the linked research sheets to keep track of the information that you find that helps to answer your question. Your preparation is due on Monday because on Monday and Tuesday of next week, you'll be asked to share the information that you find. 

Per. 1 make a copy of this sheet.
Per. 6 make a copy of this sheet. 

1. Should the morning after pill be allowed to be sold over the counter?
2. Should a man have any rights in regards to his partner’s decision to have an abortion or not?
3. Should parents be notified if their minor child wishes to have an abortion?
4. Should people have the right to protest outside abortion clinics?
5. Should partial birth or late-term abortion be banned?
6. Should women be required to have an ultrasound prior to getting an abortion?
7. Should there be a waiting period prior to getting an abortion?
8. When do fetuses feel pain and how does that impact the question of when life begins; conception, viability, or birth?
9. Should a fetus be considered a person that has legal rights and thus do feticide laws protect an innocent life or are they harmful to the health of the mother?
10. Should the government be required to pay for abortions for those that can’t afford them?
11. Should government health plans be required to provide coverage for abortions?

Abortion Regulations

After finishing and discussing the film, we'll finish looking at the Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood decisions that you can find in this LINK.
We'll then begin to consider how the Casey case is being applied and what an "undue influence" might be by first looking at question 4 in the questions to consider in the packet above and then looking at this activity about informed consent.

Abortion Contd.

We'll be spending time discussing the film, Unborn in the USA: Inside the War on Abortion.