High Schooler Suing School for Banning her MAGA Hat

A Senior at Clovis North High School in Fresno, Maddie Mueller, is suing her school for banning her from wearing a MAGA to school. Mueller believes it is her first amendment right to be able to wear the hat. Mueller is a part of a Conservative activist group called The Valley Patriots, and the group wore their MAGA hats to school on February 20th, the day she got dress coded. She explains, “I don’t care if I offend anybody. I’m just showing support for the president and what I believe.” Mueller had been dress coded in the past as well, for wearing a “Build that wall” shirt.

Clovis Unified School District Chief Communication Officer Kelly Avants reasoned that the dress code is meant to allow kids to feel safe at school and free of distractions. The school claims to have no problems with Maddies politics, but do have an issue with the hat causing disruptions at school.

This issue relates to the rights of students at public school, and to what degree their freedom of speech can be limited while on school grounds.  The First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech, including conveying political messages. However, Avants argues that that right is not absolute, particularly students in public high school like Clovis North. Although it is understandable that it his  her first amendment right to able to wear the hat to school, if the hat is causing disruptions and arguments on school grounds, does the school have the right to ban the hat?

Questions:

1)Do you believe Mueller should be able to wear her hat to school?

2)Does the school have a right to ban her from wearing the hat, even if she has the right to convey political messages in the First Amendment?

3)Do you believe Mueller will succeed in suing the school?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/02/22/teen-was-told-her-maga-hat-violates-school-code-shes-fighting-back/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.9b9f727745f4

Cohen Makes Explosive Testimonies Against Trump Under Oath to Congress

Cohen taking oath in front of Congress

Summary
In his hearing in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer for 10 years made explosive accusations against Trump under oath, stating that he "is a racist. He is a con man. And he is a cheat." Among the accusations, Cohen asserts that Trump lied and made Cohen lie to the public about various issues such as his business dealings in Russia (ex. Trump Moscow), stolen Democratic emails and payments to cover up his sexual affairs. Cohen supported his claims by providing documents such as checks issued by Trump to him, contradicting Trump's previous statements. While Cohen denied allegations of visiting Prague in 2016 to collude with Russians, Cohen pleaded guilty to previously lying under oath and other charges against him, stating that he did it to protect Trump, though now he will not. Cohen's testimony thus implicates Trump for federal crimes. 

While Democrats took Cohen's testimony as a proof of Trump having committed crimes during office, Republicans still stood by Trump, challenging Cohen throughout the hearing in addition to coining him as a liar and claiming that the hearing is organized by Democrats seeking to kick Trump out of office. Though not so consistent with the specific details, Cohen's general perspective of Trump aligns with most of Trump's closest advisers and staff who have left him.

In response, Trump has lashed out against Democrats for scheduling the hearing to take place during the same time as his summit with Kim Jong Un in Vietnam and repeatedly called Cohen a liar without providing much evidence on Twitter.

Michael Cohen's testimony in front of Congress parallels with that of John Dean's against President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Both testimonies were from close aides of the Presidents that implicates them for crime in front of Congress.

Questions

1. Given that he lied under oath in the previous hearing, how much of Cohen's testimony this time is true? What motivates him to speak out against Trump?
2. What consequences do you think Cohen's testimony will have on Trump? 
3. Why do you think the Republicans still stand by Trump? How far can Trump go before the Republicans withdraw their support for him?

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/us/politics/michael-cohen-trump.html

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/28/politics/donald-trump-michael-cohen-liar/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/27/politics/michael-cohen-prague-testimony-russia/index.html

Trump and Kim Jong Un Meet Again

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Trump began his summit in Hanoi, Vietnam with Kim Jong Un quite unconventionally. Both he and Kim enjoyed a one-on-one discussion prior to eating dinner together Wednesday evening. This meeting will test the two leaders abilities to get some real progress in limiting North Korea's nuclear programs. Although the two met last year in Singapore, there was very little tangible progress despite their cordial behavior. During their meeting, Trump expressed his admiration for the North Korean dictator. He also explained that he hopes to help North Korea grow economically in exchange for surrendering their atomic weapons program. Kim Jong Un also hopes that he and Trump will be more successful with their negotiations this time. Their summit is happening in the midst of Michael Cohen's testimonies in Washington which could cast a shadow over any of Trump's progress with North Korea. The current investigation puts pressure on Trump to come out of Hanoi with a substantial agreement. North Korea has indicated that they would like major sanctions relief in return for closing their nuclear program. The question is how flexible the U.S. is willing to be in negotiations. I would argue that preventing North Korea from developing an ICBM is crucial to our country's security.

Do you think that Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un will reach a compromise?

How important is reaching an agreement at this summit?

Who do you think will pay the bigger price if an agreement is met? The U.S. or North Korea?

House Vetos Trump's National Emergency Declaration

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The Democrat lead House of Representatives has voted to reject Trump's declaration of a National Emergency. This markets the first time that congress has attempted to terminate a national emergency from the president. the vote will lead to a standoff between Democratic leaders in the house and President Trump. The White House has issued a formal veto threat if this bill passes the GOP controlled Senate. According to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell expects the bill to come up for a vote in the Senate in mid March. When it comes up for a vote there is a Chance it passes the Senate as 3 Republicans saying they would support the bill, only one less than needed to get the bill passed. if the bill passes the Senate it would likely be vetoed by Trump and go back to the Senate for another vote.

Questions
1 do you think this will pass the Senate
2 if the bill passes the Senate, would the president veto the bill
3 what do you think will happen if the bill passes the Senate

21 Savage vs. ICE

Earlier this month on February 3rd, 21 Savage (Abraham-Joseph ) was arrested by the ICE in Atlanta claiming he was from the United Kingdom. The ICE state that Abraham-Joseph entered the U.S legally back in 2005, but never left the country after his non-immigrant visa expired. 

Known for his street hard lyrics representing Zone 6, 21 Savage has always represented Atlanta. So it comes to a big surprise to many of his fans to hear that he was born the in the U.K. But while 21 was incarcerated, his mother came out revealed his birth certificate confirming his nationality.

An attorney for Abraham-Joseph said his representatives were working to secure his release. "We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with the authorities to clear up any misunderstandings," Dina LaPolt said in a statement to CNN. "Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in this country, especially in Atlanta, Georgia, and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy."

With a strong legal team behind his back thanks to Jay Z after 9 days, 21 Savage was finally released on bond pending a deportation hearing. Jonathan Jayes-Green, the director of UndocuBlack, which advocates for undocumented people said there was, “a stark difference” between the support 21 Savage has received compared to other detainees. Along with Black Lives Matter and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, UndocuBlack created a petition for 21 Savage’s freedom that garnered half a million signatures online and was later hand-delivered to the Atlanta Ice office.

“Most of our folks do not have a fan base,” said Jayes-Green. “There is some privilege in that regard. At the same time, detention is still detention and still hurts as a human being.”

“[His] case is no different than … long-term residents of the US who have overstayed their visa, who have children and other relatives who are US citizens,” said Kuck. There are about "4.2 million black immigrants in the US and 619,000 are undocumented," according to Pew Research Center.

Questions:
1. If you are born in a different country than you grew up in your whole life, should you be deported because that is the law or should sympathy be seen for those who have become accustomed to the country?
2. Should the ICE be convicting him in the manner of going out to arrest him? Or should they have caused less drama by secretly dealing with the issue?
3. How do you feel about 21 Savage and him representing Atlanta while truly not being born from there? Does it truly matter in the end?

Alabama Woman Who Lived Under ISIS Rule Can't Return Home

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/world/middleeast/isis-bride-hoda-muthana.html
President Trump and Secretary of State Pompeo has reiterated the point that American-born woman named Hoda Muthana would not be allowed to come back into the US. Pompeo claims that she has no legal basis to return to the country as she travelled to Turkey in 2014 and was smuggled into Syria where she met up with ISIS to urge attacks against the West and US. With ISIS having waning influence in the region, Hoda wants to return to the US where she was born and was deeply sorry for her actions in the Middle East. Hoda did have an American passport before traveling to Turkey and was born in the US, which would make her a citizen. However, Pompeo claims that since Hoda was born to a diplomat from Yemen, any person born to diplomats in the US are under the jurisdiction of their respective countries. After joining Islamic State, the Muthanas received a letter that Hoda's passport has been revoked, although Mr. Muthana proved that he ad nondiplomatic status at the time of Hoda's birth, thus giving her an American passport at the time of her birth. The issue lands on the grounds if Mr. Muthana was a working diplomat at the time of Hoda's birth - thus either giving her legal residency status or citizenship. There have been multiple number of women from Europe and the West that have joined ISIS, who are now being held in Kurdish detention camps.

Should Hoda be allowed to return to the US as a citizen?
On what grounds can Hoda be denied citizenship?
Does her past affiliation with ISIS give grounds for a denial of citizenship?

Trump’s use of Emergency Powers angers many

Context: After not getting any funding for the wall, Trump declared a national emergency. This allowed him to use his emergency powers to allocate some funding to build the wall.

After declaring a national emergency to build the wall, Trump has been sued by many individuals and groups. The most notable examples include California (and 16 other states), Center of Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club, who all sued Trump for similar reasons (mainly abuse of power and economic/environmental challenges from building the wall).

Many presidents have used emergency powers in the past, but usually hasn't been this much backlash. Furthermore, this wall could severely affect our relationship with Mexico, which could be economically harmful to us.

Q1: Do you think Trump should build the wall, despite no funding?

Q2: What do you think about using the National Emergency Act to push one's agenda?

Q3: What are some potential successes/problems with building a wall?

link

Bernie Sanders to run for 2020 Presidency

Bernie sanders announced yesterday that he would be running for the 2020 presidency. In a statement he made, he claimed that he would "Beat him" in the 2020 race. Bernie, of course referring to President Trump, has policies on the complete opposite spectrum including economic freedom, religious freedom, and immigration. After a failed 2016 run Bernie hopes that his socialist values and policies will resonate with the younger crowd, which was the source for most of his success in the prior campaign. Bernie, who is now 77 years old, will likely only be running this last time as he has faced health issues in his recent past. Democrats generally disagree with most of Bernie's ideas, he does have a slight chance at giving Trump a run for his money in 2020. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, his younger advisory and New York congresswomen, will likely be soon up to take Bernie's place for the 3rd party contender in the coming election.
Do you think Bernie Sanders has a chance at winning the 2020 election?
Do you think he is too old to run?
Do you agree with any of Bernie's policies?
link

NASA Concludes Opportunity Mission

After 14 years of exploring the planet’s surface, the rover stopped responding last summer. When a dust storm occurred at the same location as the rover, the solar panels on the rover could not generate enough power to keep the spacecraft functioning. NASA spent a month trying to reconnect with Opportunity and did not want to give up on the rover. The rover which launched in 2003 and was meant to only last three months ended up living for more than 14 years. It traveled the distance of a marathon and provided up-close views of Mars that scientists had never seen before. Today, Feb. 13, NASA announced the passing of the Mars rover, Opportunity. Not to worry, another rover, Curiosity arrived on Mars in 2012 and NASA is planning another launch in 2020. The exploration of Mars continues as craters show signs of water that hint at an environment that might have been habitable. In addition to rovers, NASA has plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. 

How should the government regulate space claims, if at all? 
Should humans travel to Mars to explore the craters?
Is there a possibility of another space race? 

Sources:
Rover Picture
Mars Exploration
The New Space Race
NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity Concludes a 15-Year Mission Mars Exploration

Dems’ 2020 field now includes Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar

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Another week, another candidate. It's prime announcement time and the Democratic field is getting more crowded. On Sunday, Minnesota Senator, Amy Klobuchar, announced that she is running for president. Klobuchar focused on the appeal that she has across the state of Minnesota; both in rural and urban areas, including counties that Donald Trump won in 2016. She believes that her success within her state can carry over into other parts of the Midwest. The rally took place near the I-35W bridge that collapsed in 2007, symbolizing her ability to work across the aisle as she worked with Republicans to rebuild the bridge quickly. However, Klobuchar has drawn criticism from both sides with Republicans saying she is able to get things done because she focuses on small issues. Progressives have criticized her, saying that she lacks the passion and new ideas that excite voters.

Senator Klobuchar garnered national attention during the Kavanaugh hearings. When she asked if he had ever drunk so much that he forgot what happened, he turned the question around and asked, "Have you?"

Do you think Klobuchar has what it takes to become a Democratic nominee?
Do you agree with her ideals?
Do you think she would succeed in getting the two parties to work together?

Measles Outbreak in Washington and New York State

Measles outbreaks in Washington and New York state have led to concerns, and in one case, a declaration of public emergency in Clark County as 53 cases of measles have been reported. Officials in Clark County are reporting that one in four children entering school in 2018 did not get their immunizations, and in some schools, almost 40% of children were lacking immunizations.

Medical officials have a right to worry as the recommended percentage of vaccinated people to maintain herd immunity is around 95%, however, in counties with such poor vaccination percentages such as Clark County, make herd immunity ineffective, resulting in diseases such as measles having the opportunity to infect those who cannot get vaccinated due to medical reasons. As all but 3 states allow being able to not be vaccinated for non-medical reasons, dodging immunization is quite easy, allowing the anti vaccination movement to spread easily. Concerns over the anti vaccination movement have risen, especially with how damaging it can be to those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.




Questions:

1. Do you feel that the government should step in and force people to be vaccinated?
2. Is allowing people to avoid vaccinations due to religious reasons fair?
3. Should the parents who choose to avoid vaccinations due to non-reasonable reasons (ex: not medical/religious) be prosecuted?

source (usatoday)

Virginia Governor responds to his controversy

Pediatric neurologist and Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam was in a recent controversy, as he was once seen wearing blackface on his Medical school yearbook from 1984. The photo showed Northam wearing blackface next to someone else wearing a white Klu Klux Klan hood and robe. After the photos first surfaced, Northam claimed that he was in the photo but would not confirm which costume he wore. However, the next day he denied being in the photo, but admitted to wearing a blackface costume that same year. On Sunday, Northam went on CBS “Face the Nation,” to discuss his scandal, and when asked if he was thinking about resigning, Northam said, “Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor." Northam continued, “Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere.” The Governor’s scandal comes at a bad time, as there are sexual assault claims against, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax , who would take the spot if, Governor Northam were to resign. Attorney General  Mark Herring was also being caught wearing blackface at a dance party in 1980. All three Virginia Democrats are facing public scrutiny.

Questions:

1. Do you think Governor Northam should resign?
2. Should political leaders be punished for their past actions in the present day?

U.S. Suspends Nuclear Arms Control Treaty With Russia

Article
The Trump Administration has announced that they would suspend a nuclear arms treaty after several years of the United States accusing Russia of violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty by deploying and building banned missiles. However, last year, the United States began producing new warheads for submarines as a strategy to discourage conflicts. With the suspension of the treaty, we could see another arms race beginning in our lifetime.

These events remind me of the Cold War, where the U.S and Soviet Union developed their nuclear arsenal and seemed like war was imminent. This situation greatly frightens me since I feel that there will be a major war in my lifetime.

The treaty will expire in 2021, and it seems as though the Trump Administration will try to revive the treaty if other countries with a nuclear arsenal are willing to participate. If not, they may withdraw within six months unless other measures are taken

1. Do you think we will ultimately leave the treaty?
2. Will other countries participate in the treaty? Why or why not?
3. Has history repeated itself?

Trump Recognizes Venezuelan Opposition Leader as the Legitimate President

On January 23rd, Juan Guaido declared himself as president of Venezuela, in direct opposition to the president of the time, Nicolas Maduro. When Maduro ran for re-election in 2018, his appointment had been highly controversial because many of his opponents were barred from running, or had been jailed or fled the country. Because of this, many people question the legitimacy of his presidency, setting the stage for opposition such as Guaido.
President Donald Trump had announced that he supports Guaido, citing Maduro's corrupt election as reason for his decision. He has also urged other countries to follow suit in supporting Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Trump had stated that he is prepared to punish Maduro through actions such as placing oil sanctions.

Questions:
1. How much do you think the US will be able to impact the situation in Venezuela? Which country has the greatest influences on how things will turn out?
2. Should the US continue to interfere in the political climate in Venezuela?
3. Who do you think deserves to be President of Venezuela? Are you sympathetic to either side, or none?

State of the Union Takeaways

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/06/691870683/7-takeaways-from-president-trumps-state-of-the-union-address

 
Trump delivered his second State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 5th. Unlike previous presidents, Trump did not acknowledge the Democrats new control of the House and instead, mainly focused on agenda. He bounced around topics, addressing some bipartisan issues but also making vague assurances and continuing to stir fears about the Southern border. He mentioned he was meeting with the North Korean leader and then moved on to border security and reaffirmed his intentions to fund a wall without mentioning the shutdown or the government workers who suffered. Much of the speech felt like he was campaigning for 2020 as he threw around slogans and criticized democrats for hindering progress in many areas. Much of the speech was pro-Israel and focused around national security. In response to the address, Democratic women wore white in memory of the suffragettes and Georgia Democrat, Stacy Abrahams delivered a formidable response, criticizing him for the shut down but not wishing for his failure.

Questions:
1) What do you think Trump should have addressed in the State of the Union?
2) How did Trump's State of the Union differ from previous presidents?
3) Was repeating his previous legislative focuses' a good way to set goals for the year?
4) Should both sides have focused more on unity?

Va. Gov. Northam weighs resignation as Lt. Gov. Fairfax faces sex assault allegation

Article

"I will not excuse the content in the photo, it was offensive, racist, and despicable," is what Virginia  Governor Rob Northam called the photo under his name in his medical school (Eastern Virginia Medical School) yearbook.

A couple days ago, a picture of Governor Northam of Virginia was discovered in his medical school yearbook that had two figures: one wearing black face and the other wearing a Ku Klux Klan costume. The photo was from the year 1984. Both Republicans and Democrats are asking for his resignation, but the governor has yet to make a final decision.

I am horrified that a governor and a trained physician would be in such a photo. A person whose role is to represent the citizens of Virginia, yet acts in such a discriminatory manner, should be ousted from his role, even if it did happen over 30 years ago. Furthermore, I find it cowardly that he does not take responsibility: he had seen the photo under his name 30 years ago and has not asked the yearbook to remove the photo until his position as governor is threatened by it.

To get an understanding of the situation, I highly suggest watching the second video below the first one.

Discussion Questions
1. Do you believe that Northam should resign?
2. How do we prevent people from offending other people of color?
3. What are your reactions to this story?