Remote Learning Days 22-24: Ending the Year

Greetings Issues Scholars!
I wanted to provide some flexibility over your last few days and give you some options as to how you end the year. We'll all finish together on Thursday with a Zoom call where we can share some final thoughts, say goodbyes, and participate in the infamous "ask Kramer anything" activity.
For Tuesday and Wednesday, if you're up for it, I think Option 1 is a great opportunity to end the year in a powerful way (and potentially win some $$!!). Option 2 is an important issue that I fear will take on even greater importance in the months and year to come. You have two days to complete either option. Up to you which direction you take.  Here are the plans:

TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY
Option 1
Enter the Stronger Than Hate Challenge
"The Stronger Than Hate Challenge invites students ages 13-18 to create a video, write a poem, song, or blog, or produce a painting or piece of artwork that demonstrates the chosen medium’s potential to create a community that is stronger than hate. Winning entries are eligible to win up to $10,000 in prizing!" 
The challenge consists of three steps: 
1) Complete the learning module (about 15-20 self-directed minutes).
2) Create your submission (you can work in a group of up to four of your classmates if you want)
3) Submit your work both to the challenge and to me
The detailed instructions are found in the link above. Make sure that you look at the rubric that is going to be used to judge your work for the potential prize money. BTW, your blogs may be a great way to "start activating your story".  

Option 2
A significant issue that doesn't get much press but sadly may become more important for many in the months to come is Poverty. There are several powerful documentaries on the subject. For this option, you can choose one to watch and then respond to it in your Blog. Your response must mention which documentary you watched and the key relevant details. 
Poor Kids (a Frontline Documentary).
Poverty in the USA (Narration in English although produced by a German public broadcasting station)

THURSDAY
Zoom Call at 3:15. We'll say our good-byes and "ask Kramer anything".

Remote Learning Day 21: Race and Covid

Check your emails for the link to today's (Thursday's) zoom discussion. See you at 3:15!

Remote Learning Day 20: Back to Covid

Greetings Issues Scholars!
Today we're going to circle back to issues stemming from the current pandemic. I saw the article below and thought it would lend itself to a good discussion. Please read the article and come to our Thursday Zoom with at least two open ended discussion questions that you'd like to hear our group's responses to.
The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until...
PDF Version

Remote Learning Day 19: Myths and Advice About College

Greetings Issues Scholars!
Today (Tuesday, May 12) we'll continue to look at "college" as an issue (although less intensely than last week) by exploring some myths and providing some advice. Here are your tasks. Read the following (Don't worry, they're short):
Myths
1) College is the Best Four Years of Your Life and Other Lies Parents Tell Teens
2) 6 College Myths All Freshmen Need to Know
Advice
3) Advice to College Freshmen From Recent Grads
4) Professor Offers Best Advice for College Freshmen
5) Self-Care During College-How to Take Care of Yourself

Then, choose one myth from 1 or 2 and one piece of advice from 3,4, or 5 that you think are the most important to know. In a flipgrid post, describe both and why you selected them as most important. Respond to at least one other person's post.

Remote Learning Day 18: Discussion-Hazing

Greetings Issues Scholars!
Discussion today (Thursday). We're talking about hazing. Check your emails for the link. Hope to see you all there!

Remote Learning Day 17: Hazing Contd.

Today, we'll work to get a few more details and examples of the hazing that continues to go on on college campuses. Please have details ready to share in our Zoom discussion on Thursday. Here is your task:
For each article you read, you should add to a Google doc that identifies the answers to these questions about the article and takes this format (most of your responses can be a few words or a single sentence, you may need more for "what", "why" and "how"):
Title and Source:
Who? (Who is involved?)
What? (What happened? What are the key facts?)
When? (When did it happen?)
Where? (Where did this happen?)
Why? (Why did this happen-this is your analysis)
How? (How did this happen-again, this could be your analysis).

Everyone should read: College Students Keep Dying Because of Fraternity Hazing and look at this map: Hazing Deaths
Then choose two more articles from the following (for a total of three).  Click around a bit before choosing. See what seems interesting to read.

• The Huffington Post's section on Fraternity and Sorority Hazing (note updates on the case referenced in the Time magazine article from above)
• NY Times Topics on Hazing(note updates on the case referenced in the Time magazine article from above)
• Hazing has been in the news in high schools (and locally) as well: Lake Zurich High School Hazing. Here is an editorial about that case: When Adults Look the Other Way
• Additional incidents closer to home include articles about Loyola,  Northwestern or this one about Northern Illinois
• If you want to read about sorority hazing specifically check out this article (the hyperlinks-especially to the original cosmopolitan article are also helpful).
• My Journey from Being Hazed, To Being an Enthusiastic Hazer, to Stopping Hazing
• An essay in defense of hazing.  
• Other universities: Miami of Ohio; Indiana University; Another High School Case (Md.); U-C Irvine
• Confessions of an Ivy League Frat Boy (a long article but excellent reporting, graphic details, and a bit of notoriety for the subject of the article. If you choose this one, it counts as two).
• Other? Feel free to Google on your own.

Submit your Google Doc to Schoology when finished. Be sure to have access to it during our Zoom discussion tomorrow. Check your emails tonight for the link.

Remote Learning Day 16: Hazing

Today, we'll start to consider questions surrounding Greek life and hazing on college campuses. Your task for today is to watch this video: Breathe, Nolan, Breathe. WARNING-there is graphic and disturbing content that may be difficult to watch.
When you're finished, you may either, post a flipgrid response to the video, do a blog post on it, or share a written response with me. No prompts, just want to hear your reactions. Try to use specifics and details in whatever format you post.

Remote Learning Day 15: Zoom Discussion

We'll discuss the issues and materials we've looked at over the last week in a zoom meeting today (Thursday) at 3:15. Check your emails for the link. Hope to see you all there.

Remote Learning Day 14: Binge Drinking

Greetings Issues Scholars!
In the materials you watched/read on Tuesday, one of the pressures mentioned about starting college was the pressure of drinking/partying. Today we will explore that in more detail. Because of the nature of the topic, we'll do our responses in writing today, shared only with me rather than on flipgrid for everyone to see. 
1) First, watch Drinking Culture: American Kids and the Danger of Being Cool. Have a notebook out as you watch to jot down any notes or ideas that you're thinking about.  When finished, in a Google Doc, please answer the following: 

• What was the most surprising, interesting or provocative piece of information?  Why do you consider it to be surprising, interesting or provocative?  
• What assertions or solutions was the film proposing? What did you agree with? What did you disagree with? 

2) Choose one of these to explore and then respond in your doc 

• College Drinking-Changing the Culture
• Less Than You Think campaign
• Aware Awake Alive

Response: What is the site trying to do? What do you think of their plans or campaigns? Does it effectively address the issue of binge drinking on college campuses?

3) Read this

• medical amnesty

Response: Did you know about medical amnesty laws? What is your opinion about them? Do you think they are effective? Why or why not? 

4) Read these:

• Amethyst Initiative (Drinking Age)
• In defense of 21

Response: Should the drinking age be lowered? Why or why not?

Please submit your response to Schoology when finished. Be prepared to discuss this weeks materials during our Zoom call on Thursday.

Remote Learning Day 13: Let's Go to College!

Greetings Issues Scholars!
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
As I stated in my email, today we're going to begin our "college" unit. Looking ahead for the week-plan on Zoom on Thursday at 3:15. Check your emails on Wednesday night for the link.
Here are your tasks for today (Tuesday).
1) Watch My College Transition (you can stop at the credits).
2) Read "The Real Campus Scourge"/ PDF Version
3) Choose a quotation from the NYTimes article and paste it into a Google Doc. 
4) Then, let that quotation be the start to your Flipgrid post in response to the video and the article. What are your thoughts about the perspective raised in the video and in the article? Do they ring true? Why or why not? Why did you select the quote you did? Do you agree or disagree with it?
5) When you confirm the submission of your video, share a link to your google doc in the box underneath the title box so that people who view your post can see your quote. 

6) When finished with your response, read Emery's update to her video, "Advice From a Formerly Lonely College Student"/ PDF Version 
7) Post replies to two students for this Flipgrid topic (try to reply to people who you did not reply to last week). Consider how Emery's update may or may not frame your response or your reaction. Did it change your original thought or opinion? Does it make you consider the post you are responding to any differently?

Remote Learning Day 12: Conclusions?

Greetings Scholars,
Today I'd like to hear any conclusions that you have about stress, anxiety, mental health or mental illness that you've made as a result of the things you've read or watched this week.

• Start by reviewing the chart that we created yesterday. Notice what everyone posted, especially the questions to the authors.
•  Next, skim over the other materials from the last two weeks. 
• Then, please go to flipgrid, read the prompts and post a video response. When finished, look at other posts and leave at least two replies to two of your classmates.

Have a great weekend.
*BONUS Opportunity: Savanna sent me this fascinating video that I didn't think we had time for in class but if you would like to watch and do a blog post on it, it will count for extra credit in your "blog" category for your grade.
A Different Kind of Force-Policing Mental Illness

Remote Learning Day 11: Let's get serious-mental illness

Greetings scholars,
To this point in the unit we've been focusing mostly on stress, anxiety and mental health. Yet, for some, their mental health is very much tied into a mental illness. Please read this short article describing the connection/difference:  What's the difference between mental health and mental illness? 
For today, we're going to focus our attention on mental illness. While more parts of our society are becoming comfortable discussing people's mental health, mental illness is something that in some ways still is not openly considered. The organization, This is My Brave attempts to change that.  Here are your instructions for today:

• Watch the introduction to This is My Brave: Jennifer Marshall: My Brave Parade
• Pick a story to watch: This is My Brave-Stories
• Fill out a row in this chart: This is My Brave-Stories Summation

Remote Learning Day 10: Mental Health Ted Talks

Greetings!
I hope everyone had a great weekend. For your next class period (Tuesday, 4/21), I'd like to start with a short Zoom meeting to check in with everyone (check your emails for link) and then your assignment for the day is here: Mental Health Ted Talks

Remote Learning Day 9: Let's Practice Mindfulness

Greetings Issues Scholars!
Please come to our Zoom call today (Thursday) at 3:15, where our guest speaker will be teaching us some mindfulness techniques to potentially help us through these or other stressful and anxious times. Check your emails for the link.

Remote Learning Day 8: Mindfulness

Greetings Issues Scholars,
We'll start today with a zoom call at 3:15 to discuss the article that you read, Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety? Please check your emails for the link.
Then, in order to prepare for our guest speaker tomorrow, we'll watch two videos:
1) What is Mindfulness
2) All It Takes is Ten Mindful Minutes
When finished, please fill out this short "exit slip"-Intro to Mindfulness Exit Slip

Remote Learning Day 7: Stress, Mental Health and Anxiety

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Last week, many of you posted videos to flipgrid that eloquently described the state of your mental health during this pandemic. However, some day, this crisis will be over, yet for many, struggles with mental health, stress and anxiety will continue. Thus, I'd like to start considering those issues outside of the Covid-19 crisis. Here are our tasks for today:

1) I'd like to have a short Zoom call at 3:15 today so that I can introduce and preview the rest of the unit, we'll do a little brainstorming and I'll make a few comments. (15 minutes). This will include creating a shared document that lists our own personal "Stress Reduction Tips"

2) The larger part of your work today will be to read the following article:
Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety
(PDF Version)
As you read, you should make note of parts of the article that you agreed with/disagreed with/found interesting as well as some of the stress reduction strategies mentioned.

Remote Learning Day 6: Mental Health in the age of Covid-19

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Today we'll start our new unit by assessing the impact of Covid-19 on our Mental Health. Here are your tasks:
1) Read Mental Health in the Age of Coronavirus
2) While the NY Times is no longer accepting submissions for the answer to David Brooks' questions, we can try to get our own read on our own psychological state right now. So, if you would be willing to describe how the coronavirus is affecting your mental health, please record a response in flipgrid (click the link) to any or all of the following questions:  Is the combination of isolation and existential stress making you feel more depressed and anxious? Or is the family togetherness and the pause from normal life giving you a greater sense of belonging and equilibrium? How would you describe your psychological state? What are you doing to cope?
NOTE-Your flipgrid response WILL count as this week's blog post.

Remote Learning Day 5

Zoom meeting today at 3:15. Please check your emails for meeting i.d. and password. 
We'll be discussing the topics from the last two assignments.

Remote Learning Day 4: Other political issues and Covid-19

For MONDAY, APRIL 6.
Last week you looked at the issue of abortion and how it is impacted by the current pandemic. For today, you'll look at three other issues: Guns, Marijuana, Religion. For each, you'll work to keep a list of arguments for both sides of the debate.  Here is the form you'll use that includes the links to articles that discuss each question: What is Essential During a Pandemic?
If you would like, you may work on this and discuss with a partner (Remotely Please!). Each person though should be well-versed in the arguments.  Everyone should submit the document to Schoology when you're finished.
We'll discuss all four issues in our weekly zoom tomorrow, Tuesday, at 3:15. Please check your email later today for the zoom invite and password.
**Also, please see this document for an important update: Civic Engagement During Shelter in Place

Remote Learning Day 3: Covid-19 and Political Issues

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Today we'll start to consider how the nation's response to the Covid-19 pandemic is influencing or impacting other political issues.

Prior to entering into our "Act of God" days, we were studying the issue of abortion. You learned about Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood and had some discussions about the ways in which abortion was legal but also ways in which it became restricted. After doing some work around the regulation of parental consent, on our last day of "in person" class, you watched part of the film, Unborn in the USA that described methods that were being used to attack the Roe decision.

As you probably realized, the fight was long from over and our current pandemic crisis has in some ways, reignited it. For today, please read the following articles and then, in a blog post, please write a response to them. Your post should argue whether abortions should be included as an "elective" procedure under current guidelines banning elective surgeries or not.
Your response should be detailed and use specifics from the articles to support your point. This will count as your weekly blog post.   Here are the articles to consider:

• https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/coronavirus-abortion-texas-ohio/index.html
• https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/politics/texas-order-abortion-block-coronavirus/index.html

Remote Learning Day 2

Wow. I was absolutely blown away by your responses on flipgrid. They were thoughtful, honest, heartbreaking, funny and powerful. This is such an amazing oral history of this event, one that hopefully you will show to your grandkids some day.
For today, let's plan on a zoom meeting at 3:15 (the overwhelming consensus from the survey of best time to meet). Here is the link and meeting id:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/367787397
Meeting ID: 367 787 397

Try to have your computers with you and not just your phones bc there may be some things to read (you remember how to do that, right 😜??).

During our meeting we'll set some standards and guidelines for "zooming" and then open it up for some discussion. I'll ask people to find images or stories to stimulate the conversation. We'll keep a running list of those on a shared google doc.

Remote Learning-Day 1

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Welcome Back (sort of)!! This has been a weird few weeks to say the least. I'm sure many of you are tired of hearing about Covid-19 while others might be looking forward to getting back to Issues to discuss it. Over the next few days, we'll try to balance both points of view. Going forward, this won't be the all Covid all the time class but we won't ignore what is in many ways the defining issue of our time. We will also, however, continue to learn about and discuss other important issues, trying to cover those things that will continue to impact our society even after this current crisis is over. How we do that will be changing and evolving as we go. We'll continue to use our blogs but also Flipgrid (see below), Zoom, and others. This is a new experience for everyone and I'm honored and excited to share it with you.

For class on 3/31:

1. To start today, please fill out this short survey: E-Learning Survey
2. Next, I thought it would be fun and beneficial to get a sense of those things that have been keeping us occupied (and provide a forum to give people suggestions during this period of social distancing). Thus, please add to this chart as you see fit and star or highlight suggestions that you agree with. Consider it a living document that can be added to at any time. Isolation Activities
3. Finally, we'll return to something that I tried to do when we started to "learn from home": Flipgrid. This will be our first opportunity to start a discussion about our current experience:

• First, go to this link: https://flipgrid.com/kramersissues
• You’ll see the new topic for today, titled "Covid-19: What should we remember?
• Record and post a short video (more than 30 seconds, less than 90) with your responses to either of the prompts that are posted under the topic.
• Check back later and watch a bunch of videos from your classmates - you can respond either with a short video or just audio. Please respond to at least 3.

Other Notes:

• You were excused from doing the blog post for 3/16. If you did it, you received extra credit. For now, I'd like you to continue to do weekly blog posts, as this would be a great place to keep track of your experiences during this outbreak. Work to post responses to interesting or important articles that you read or news stories that you've seen in regard to Covid-19. Be sure to include links to the article.
• Your outside reading book is still a required part of this course. If you do not finish it and complete all of the components of the assignment (more info to come on the "book talk"), you will receive an incomplete for the class until it's finished.
• Similarly, if you haven't yet finished your civic engagement assignment, this too is still a required part of the course. Requirements and options obviously will change based on our current social distancing practices. More info to come.

Just checking in

Hey Issues Scholars,
Haven't heard from anyone in any previous methods. If you want to check in and say hello to me or each other, here is a zoom link for 2:30 this afternoon: https://zoom.us/j/699287457
Hope to see a few of you there. We'll try again next week too.
Mr. Kramer

Best Editorial I've Seen

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Here is an editorial from the NY Times that makes some important historical parallels and provides some stark solutions:
Stop Saying Everything is Under Control...
If you read it and have a response, please post it to either the comments below, Flipgrid (Suggested), or your own blog.
Stay safe and healthy,
Mr. Kramer

So, this is new...

Greetings Issues Students,
Hope you're all doing well I know you're all disappointed about a lot of things (as are we all) but this might be the most challenging "issue" of our time. While we don't have any official e-learning assignments to do for a while, I thought that it might be important to check in with each other just to provide a forum for people to gather and discuss anything (from the serious to the stupid). Once e-learning starts, we'll continue to use our blogs as a means for communication but we'll also try a number of other different outlets. The first, informal way is a Flipgrid. If you haven't used it before, it's really easy. It will be a good way to stay in touch, share videos and/or other commentary, arguments, rants, jokes, etc.
You just need to log in with your student email. Here is the link: https://flipgrid.com/kramersissues
Stay safe and healthy and wash your hands!
Mr. Kramer

Parental Consent

After reviewing our work from yesterday, today we'll focus on parental consent laws. Here are your instructions:

1. Make a copy of this document for yourself: Informed Consent
2. Fill out your responses to these questions individually. 
3. Discuss your responses with your group. 
4. Read about parental consent laws here and here (make note of Illinois law). 
5. Discuss: Are these laws reasonable? Do they place an undue burden on a woman's access to an abortion?
6. Have half your group read this article: ACLU: Laws Restricting Teenagers' Access to Abortion and the other half read this article: Parental Consent Laws Protect Teens
7. Share and Discuss: Which are the most important points from your article?  Which arguments are the most compelling? Which arguments are the most persuasive and why? 
8. Last year, Illinois House Democrats introduced a bill to repeal the State's parental notification law. Discuss: Would you support the bill?

Roe v. Wade

Today, we'll take a closer look at the Roe v. Wade decision. To do so, you'll work to have small group discussions about the case and the issues that surround it.
Each of you will receive a packet of information about the case.
As you read through the packet, you'll pause and have discussions about each section. Here are your instructions for those discussions:

• For each section, in addition to participating in the discussion with your group members, you'll need to choose a different member of your group to be: 1)the discussion leader; 2) the note taker; and 3) the vocabularian (in charge of looking up words). 
• While you work, you'll have two chrome books open, one for the vocabularian to look up words and one for the note taker to take notes that keep track of your discussions. 
• You should choose new roles for every section of the packet with everyone having a chance to be the discussion leader. 
• Chromebooks will be shared when the other roles change.  
• Here is a template to keep track of your notes and definitions. The first notetaker should make a copy and share it with the other members of your group. 
• Here are your groups for today:

Group #1 Marissa Hannah Ty Laith Alexa W.

Group #2 Bailey Adam Scott Alexa A. Cassandra

Group #3 Carly Billy Alana Stephen Ally

Group #4 Vittoria Zach Nickko Sophia Brooke

Group #5 Leah Charlie Savanna Emma

Abortion

We'll start today with a brainstorm about the topic of abortion: what we know and what we'd like to know.
Then we'll take a look at where and why this issue remains in the news by reading the following article:
Last Clinic Standing

What to do about white supremacy?

Today we'll start by writing a response to the article that we read last night for homework considering details, opinions and questions. Next, we'll watch this video: PBS News Hour: How These Oregon Teachers are Fighting Back Against White Nationalism.
Then, after a short google search of current events we'll have a discussion about white supremacy in schools and how to combat it.

History Unfolded

Today we'll work on the History Unfolded project.
After hearing some of our findings, we'll read the following article and watch the following video to frame a further discussion.
How Teachers are Fighting the White Nationalists Brainwashing Their Students
PBS News Hour: How These Oregon Teachers are Fighting Back Against White Nationalism

Documenting Hate and History Unfolded

Today you'll first finish watching Documenting Hate:New American Nazis. You'll watch this individually (use headphones) and continue taking notes as you do. You should start where we left off (the 17:00 mark).
If there is time left, you can begin the History Unfolded project that I described on Friday. If you don't have time to start or don't finish, we will finish it in class on Wednesday.

Documenting Hate

After making our outside reading choices, we watched the first 40 minutes of
Documenting Hate: Charlotttesville

Finishing Mock Trials

Here is the self-assessment for the Mock Trial Project:
Mock Trial Self-Assessment

Please upload it to Schoology when finished.

More Mock Trial Tips

Today we continued our preparation for our mock trials.
At times, one of your witnesses, may not remember or get lost during their testimony. Thus, at times on direct examination (or sometimes on cross examination) you may need to refresh the recollection of the witness.
Additionally, if a witness says something either on direct or cross examination that contradicts their witness statement, a good attorney will want to point that out during cross examination. Here are some tips on how to do both of those things:
Refreshing Recollection

Mock Trial Prep Day 3

Big day today. Work in your groups on all of your tasks. Focus on Opening Statements and Direct Examinations.
Opening Statement Sample

Mock Trial Prep Day 2

Today we'll begin the preparation for your mock trial. You'll learn about the process, meet your team, select your roles and begin your planning and preparation. In order to do well on this project, preparation and practice are vital.   You should make a shared folder with your group (and me) where you'll put all of your completed work, including preparation sheets and scripts. Here is what you'll need:
Mock Trial Groups 2020

Electronic Versions of Cases:

• U.S. v. David Jones
• Elyse Roberts v. D.C.

Team Roles

• Mock Trial Team Roles 2020 (Fill this in. You also want to make a copy of this once your group has it filled in and keep it in your folder.) 

Preparation Materials

• Preparing an Opening Statement
• Direct Examination Preparation (Make a copy of this and keep it in your folder)
• Direct Examination Fundamentals
• Cross Examination Preparation (Make a copy of this and keep it in your folder)
• Tips for Good Cross Examination
• Preparing a Closing Argument

SAMPLE Witness Statement

So, at the end of the trial, here are the items that should be in your folder (Make sure each item is labeled with the names of the group member(s) who prepared that item):

• Team Roles
• Opening Statement
• Direct Exam Prep for each of your side's witnesses 
• Direct Exam Script for each of your side's witnesses (questions and answers)
• Cross Exam Prep for each of the other side's witnesses
• Cross Exam Script for each of the other side's witnesses (questions and expected answers)
• Closing Argument from every member

Mock Trial Prep: Day 1

Today you'll get the cases that you'll be working on for our mock trial project.  You will not find out the other members of your team or which side you'll be working for until tomorrow.

By class time tomorrow, you MUST read your entire case packet and fill out this first preparation sheet:

Mock Trial-First Thoughts

• Elyse Roberts v. D.C.
• Alexa A.
• Cassandra
• Sophia 
• Alana 
• Ty
• Savanna
• Trevor
• Bailey
• Adam
• Stephen
• Marissa
• Alexa W.
• Charlie
• Zach

• U.S. v. David Jones
• Billy
• Laith
• Leah
• Scott
• Brooke
• Will
• Carly
• Nickko
• Hannah
• Emma
• Vittoria
• Ally

Affirmative Consent

After a discussion of The Hunting Ground we'll then explore whether affirmative consent laws are an effective means to lessen the risk of sexual assault.

"Affirmative consent, also referred to as “yes means yes” policies, define consent as a clear, unambiguous and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. Real consent is marked by the ongoing presence of a yes rather than the absence of a no — both parties must agree to sexual contact verbally or through clear non-verbal cues, and silence or lack of resistance doesn’t indicate consent. Schools with affirmative consent policies must use this stricter standard to evaluate sexual assault complaints within their campus disciplinary systems." (Emba, Christine. Affirmative Consent: A Primer. Washington Post, 10/12/15)

Read either #1, #2, or #3 and then everyone should read #4. Make sure to click on hyperlinks within articles to learn more.

1. Affirmative Consent:Are Students Really Asking? (alternative LINK)
2. Adults Hate Yes Means Yes Laws. The College Students I Meet Love Them
3. The Aziz Ansari Allegation Has People Talking About Affirmative Consent. What's That?
4. When Does Drunk Sex Become Rape?

In your final portfolio entry (#8) please respond to the following:

• Explore your thoughts and ideas about consent laws or policies. Will they work? Why or why not?  Be specific.
• Describe what you think should be done in Clara's case from the last article above. Be sure to explain your reasoning.
• Using information from the articles, conclude by answering these questions:
• How will changing standards of consent affect student behavior, and the handling of sexual assault cases on college campuses and in the larger criminal justice system? What does the need for increasingly explicit rules around consent say about our culture’s understanding of sex?

*TURNING IN YOUR PORTFOLIO: In order to turn in your portfolio, please copy all of your entries into one Google document. Please keep them in the order that you wrote them with the first entry being #1 and the last being #8. Make sure there is a title on each separate entry. Be sure to check the rubric and proofread before submitting. When it is ready, please submit your document to turnitin THROUGH SCHOOLOGY by class time on Monday, February 3. 
*NO BLOG POST THIS WEEK.

The Hunting Ground Responses

• For your the portfolio response (entry #7) connected to the film use specifics from the film and any other articles that you read during this unit to support your responses. You don't necessarily need to answer all of the questions below (although be sure to read the linked reviews or critiques) nor are you limited to these questions-if there are other issues you've been considering feel free to address those:
  
  
  • What is your review or assessment of The Hunting Ground? 
  • What, if anything, does the film prompt you to do? 
  • The film received a 93% positive rating at rottentomatoes.com. Here are a few of those positive reviews Tribune Review, NY Times Review. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? 
  • Here is a negative review or critique of the film Slate Review. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment?
  • What information that you learned over the last few days is most surprising and why? 
• Does a "rape culture" exist in our society? If so, what is its impact?  
• What kind of responsibility do colleges have to address the issue of sexual assault on their campuses? Why don't they seem to take it more seriously? 
• What should sexual assault awareness programs address? Why? 
• What is the role of bystanders? 
• What other issues that were raised in the film are most important to you?  Why?

The Hunting Ground

Today we will start the film, The Hunting Ground (the film is available to rent at the link).  You will be taking notes. There is a portfolio entry that will be due in response to the film. 

Rape Culture

Today we had a wide ranging and fascinating discussion about the articles that you prepared for your 6th portfolio entry. Here are the scores from that discussion: SCORES

Rape Culture

What are the prevailing social norms and attitudes that help to trivialize or normalize sexual assault in our society? For your next portfolio entry, you'll explore some articles that will help to answer that question (or raise some more). Here is the set of articles that will form the basis of that entry Sexual Assault and Rape Culture Articles (Portfolio#6). As you read and respond to these articles, be sure to click on some of the hyperlinks when available to take a deeper dive into the topic. This portfolio entry is due tomorrow, Thursday, January 23. Please print out a copy of it to use in our discussion.

Judging Steubenville

• We'll start by taking a few minutes to check in about the impeachment trial that begins today.
• Next, we'll pick up our discussion about Steubenville football by watching Amy Schumer's Football Town Lights
• After discussing, you'll have time to complete an entry for your portfolio (#5) about the documentary, Roll Red Roll.
• If you want to understand more about the aftermath of the case to make your conclusions, you may read the any or all of the following articles: Results of Steubenville.  Your portfolio entry should begin by describing your initial reaction to the film (what did you think? what is your review or assessment of the film? why?) Then, please respond to the following questions (*note, if you have more to say, you are certainly not limited to these questions):

• Was justice served in this case?
• What in the identity of the town was influential to what happened (consider economic, cultural, social aspects)?
• What do you think of the role of the media in this story?
• Comment on the students involved.
• Comment on the adults involved.
• What about the kids who filmed what was going on? What sorts of consequences (if any) should they face? Are they bystanders or perpetrators? What about the kids who were texting about it? What is their role?
• This event occurred over five years ago; do you think events like this could still happen? If so, do you think this is a common or normal set of facts or is Steubenville different than other places (conversely, is Deerfield different or could this happen here)?
• With any time left, you can get started on the next entry in your portfolio-here is the set of articles that will form the basis of it Sexual Assault and Rape Culture Articles (Portfolio#6)

Football Night in America

Yesterday and today we watched the documentary Roll Red Roll which is available on Netflix. If you missed class and don't have access to Netflix, you can read this article instead: Rape Case Unfolds on Web and Splits City.

When finished, if time, we'll start reading these articles: Results of the Steubenville Case

#MeToo and Sexual Harassment in Politics and Business

Please make a copy of the following document and then work to complete it by the end of class today. If you are unable to do so, please finish it by class time tomorrow.  This will be the 4th entry in your portfolio for this unit.

Silence Breakers

Beyond Schools: Sexual Harassment in the workplace and in public

After discussing the articles you read for the last assignment, today we'll look at and respond to several videos. The responses to the videos will make up entry #3 to your portfolio
Make a copy of the following document to use today:
That's Harassment

Current Events and Sexual Harassment Contd.

We started class today by gathering information about and then discussing the Iranian missile attacks that occurred last night.
Then, we had a short discussion about the sexual harassment articles that you read for today before being given time to finish the (Section C) questions about the last section of information.

Sexual Harassment Continued

After finishing and discussing the sexual harassment scenarios and corresponding charts from yesterday, we'll see how some of these instances occur beyond the realm of hypothetical in an arena in which students are familiar-the school.
Read these articles actively: Sexual Harassment in Schools
Answer these questions as you read or after you read: Harassment Article Questions.
Your responses to these questions are the second entry in your portfolio so be sure that your responses are thorough, detailed, specific and your OWN work.

Welcome Back !

After some welcome back conversation and reminders (blogs, outside reading, civic engagement) we'll begin thinking about our new unit.
With sexual harassment and sexual assault continuing to dominate our news (from last year's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, the Bill Cosby case, as well as stories from many of our other major industries with much of it fostered by the #MeToo movement that began on Facebook), it's important to understand these issues and discover the places where we may confront them.

While we examine both topics, our unit will contain two major assessments. The first will be a portfolio of your writings and reflections about a number of different articles and activities that will serve to help you become aware of the significance of these issues.  The portfolio will be assessed both for completion and quality. Here is the rubric that I will use to assess the quality of your portfolio work: Portfolio Rubric 2020.

We'll begin our unit with the topic of sexual harassment. The chart below will be the first entry in your portfolio. Here are your instructions:

• Read this definition of sexual harassment and this list of actions that may possibly constitute sexual harassment. Discuss with your partners.
• Then, using those definitions, go through these scenarios and fill out the chart as you go. The most efficient way to do this is to have two chromebooks open; one with the scenarios and one with the chart. Share the chart with all members of your group.
• Make sure that you put all of your partners' names at the top of the chart.

Group #1 Billy Alexa A. Stephen Hannah	Group #2 Trevor Bailey Ally Emma	Group #3 Alana Alexa W. Will	Group #4 Ty Scott Adam	Group #5 Brooke Savanna Zach
Group #6 Cassandra Carly Laith	Group #7 Nickko Charlie Vittoria	Group #8 Sophia Marissa Leah

Last Day

Impeachment Explained
PDF