Grades 7-9: Equal Protection
Different Treatment for Different Folks?
by David T. Naylor
Background
The quest for equality is one of the salient themes of American history. The Declaration of Independence boldly asserts that "all men are created equal" but no such phrase appears in the Constitution of the United States. Neither the Constitution drafted in 1787 nor the Bill of Rights which was added in 1791 even include the word equality much less provide a specific guarantee of it. But, during the two centuries since then, much has changed. The heroic efforts of African-Americans, women, and others to throw off the shackles of law-sanctioned discrimination and segregation have helped to make the concept of equality a cornerstone of our legal system and more of a reality in the lives of all Americans.
This strategy begins with student examining a graphic depiction of government-enforced inequality. The poster showing two drinking fountains, one labeled “white” and the other “colored” is a vivid reminder of just how recently laws sanctioned segregation was a fixture of American life. (This poster can be purchased from the ABA for $4.95; order on-line or call 1-800-285-2221 and ask for product code 468-0033.
The poster is a compelling reminder of how much of an anachronism this scene has become. In contrast to many parents and teachers, students in school today have not experienced de jure segregation. Many students are unfamiliar with such scenes and practices and the struggles which led to their abolition. Yet that knowledge is a vital part of understanding the growth and development of this country and its way of life. Students need to understand this part of our nation’s history. It is too significant to ignore. The "separate fountains" poster is an appropriate vehicle for initiating such a unit.
An important question suggested by the poster is whether or not the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires all people to be treated in the same manner. Many students (and adults) are likely to be under the impression that the Equal Protection Clause prohibits differential treatment. That impression, however, is incorrect. The clause does not require identical treatment for all persons in all situations. Legal distinctions are possible and even desirable, for in some circumstances treating all people the same is inherently unequal. Controversy occurs when persons allege they are being treated differently than others.
This sample lesson is intended to be an introductory lesson for a unit focusing on the concept of equal protection, the practice of differential treatment under law, and the legal tests that have been developed for determining if and when differential treatment violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
David T. Naylor is Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Cincinnati. This strategy is adapted from an article that originally appeared in the magazine Update on Law-Related Education (Fall 1991).
Grades 7-9: Equal Protection
Different Treatment for Different Folks?
Procedure
1. Display the "separate fountains" poster in a prominent place in the room, or pass around copies of the downloaded art. Without identifying the source, post the following words from the Declaration of Independence beneath the poster or downloaded art: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
2. Begin class by calling attention to the poster and asking questions related to the scene it depicts (e.g. What do you notice about this scene? Why are the two fountains so close together? What is the purpose of the signs above the fountains? Why would someone feel it was necessary to post these signs?)
3. Direct attention to the words from the Declaration of Independence that you have placed beneath the poster. Ask students first to identify the source of the words and then to suggest possible explanations accounting for the disparity between those words and the what is shown in the poster.
4. Explore differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States (e.g. why each was written, when each was written, what each contains), especially the legal authority of each. Emphasize the difference between the moral force of the Declaration of Independence and the legal force of the Constitution of the United States.
5. Redirect student attention to the poster of the two fountains. Explain how the scene illustrates the "separate but equal" doctrine. Point out that racial segregation was constitutionally permissible under the "separate but equal" doctrine from 1896 to 1954. Since then, de jure racial segregation (i.e., under the sanction of law) has been unconstitutional. The scene depicted in the poster would not be legally permissible today.
6. Use a current newspaper article or situation dealing with a current equal protection situation to focus student attention on the question of whether the Constitution requires all people to be treated the same in similar situations. Discuss student reactions. Then distribute a copy of the exercise, "Is This Legal?", to each student. Explain what it is and how to complete it.
7. Tally student responses. Initiate discussion by selecting items where the most disagreement appears. Call on students to explain their positions.
8. Have students look at the items in the exercise. This time, ask them to identify the basis for differential treatment (e.g., gender, age, race, physical condition) used in each item. Record responses.
9. Divide students into groups. Give each group one of the categories used in the exercise for differential treatment. Have each group develop reasons for making the distinction on this basis.
10. Ask each group to share the reasons identified. Record them. Then have students compare and contrast the reasons given and why those reasons may be alike or different for the various categories.
11. Point out that our courts have developed a series of tests for determining when groups of people may be treated differently. Indicate that distinctions made on the basis of race, national origin or alien status or affecting groups with a history of unequal treatment are the most difficult to sustain.
12. Conclude by reviewing the main points covered in the lesson. Indicate that future lessons could involve examples of differential treatment and how our courts have dealt with them (i.e., the tests used and examples of how they apply).
David T. Naylor is Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Cincinnati. This strategy is adapted from an article that originally appeared in the magazine Update on Law-Related Education (Fall 1991).
Grades 7-9
Different Treatment for Different Folks? Handout
Is This Legal?
Instructions: Each of the following situations involves a rule or law requiring one group of people to be treated differently than another group. For each situation, circle "LEGAL" if you believe it is legally permitted or "ILLEGAL" if you believe the situation is not legally permitted. Be prepared to explain the reasons for your decisions.
1. Setting a minimum age for purchasing cigarettes. / LEGALILLEGAL
2. Not letting girls play on the high school varsity football team. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
3. Forbidding smoking in public buildings and areas / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
4. Prohibiting women in the armed services from serving in combat. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
5. Establishing public elementary school classrooms that enroll only African-American boys. No others are permitted. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
6. Requiring nonresidents to pay higher tuition at state universities than residents of the state. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
7. Maintaining separate courts for young people and adults. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
8. Barring children with AIDS from attending the public schools. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
9. Hiring only teachers who are Republicans to teach in the
local school district. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
10. Specifying that at least 25% of all city construction contracts be awarded to minority-owned and minority-run businesses. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
11. Not letting girls become boy scouts. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
12. Letting people who own houses pay less taxes than people
who do not own houses. / LEGAL
ILLEGAL
David T. Naylor is Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Cincinnati. This strategy is adapted from an article that originally appeared in the magazine Update on Law-Related Education (Fall 1991).