Issues such as recent moves to Reinvent Government to change the role of agencies and court takeovers of local schools and state mental health systems will be considered. The final unit will focus on the individual rights that constrain governmental action. It will examine the tension between individual rights and the rights of the larger community to define its character. This will include consideration of governmental economic and social regulations, as well as topics such as abortion, and racial integration in housing. Students are not expected to have any particular background knowledge in the law.
Papers related to each unit are due the week after class discussion of that unit is complete.
While students can choose which of the units to write their papers on, at least one paper must be based on either the first or second unit. That means, students cannot wait until the third unit to hand in their first paper. There will also be two debates for which students will need to prepare outside of class. It is assumed that students have general familiarity with the process by which statutes are passed and the basic American legal system. Students needing additional remedial help should speak to me for additional suggestions.