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Week 7 Street Law Lesson PlanTitle: Teen Violence SimulationSources: Model Lesson Plans; ; ; , , , , , : 98 MinutesI. Goals: Studying Family law in general helps studentsBe aware of the importantSee an example of how criminal and civil law work togetherStudying Teen Dating Violence helps studentsBe conscientious about their own relationshipsConnect themselves and others to community resources II. ObjectivesKnowledge and Skills ObjectivesKnow Washington laws regarding domestic violence including definitions Identify the difference between criminal domestic violence and non-criminal abuseApplication ObjectivesRecognize real-life abusive actionsBe able to contact the resources provided in classAttitude ObjectivesBe aware of the pervasiveness of domestic violenceFeel equipped to deal with abuse in students’ own livesIII. Materials SimulationTrue/False HandoutScripts (including copies for students)LecturePowerpointIV. Classroom MethodsFamily Law Opinion Poll(we handed the opinion poll out at the end of last week’s class and asked the students to pick one question to write a paragraph about)IntroductionFamily Law is a patchwork of local, federal, and state laws including both criminal and civil aspects.There is not a unified body of law. The closest example is when the United States Supreme Court decides constitutional Family Law questions. For example, if the Supreme Court were to decide that gay marriage bans were unconstitutional, then every state and federal law would have to comply with the Court’s ruling, and allow gay marriage. However, even in those situations, there are usually many ways to comply with constitutional mandates, meaning that laws won’t be entirely consistent between states.Family law also covers a broad range of topics. For example: marriage, divorce (including division of property, child support), adoption, surrogate motherhood, end of life law (like wills), and domestic violenceActivity[have questions, resources on slides]Ask whether students strongly agreed, agreed, were neutral, disagreed, or strongly disagreed with each statementCan cut some of these to fit within time constraintsAsk students who wrote about each statement to share what they wroteBe sure to walk them through the interactive map during the discussion of gay marriageShow them the Indiana most-wanted child-support dodgers, if time permitsIntroductions (~ 5 minutes)DisclaimerTell the class: Issues involving family law touch everyone’s lives. When discussing matters of family law, be especially thoughtful about what you’re saying, and how you’re reacting to what other people are saying. Remember the Street Law class rules we all made, and keep those in mind today. Domestic violence can be a very difficult topic to discuss. Everyone’s views and experiences are welcome. If anyone chooses to not participate, we’ll respect that choice, and we ask that everyone else do the same.Place Domestic Violence in Context[powerpoint]Family LawCivil aspectsCriminal aspectsSocial/non-legal aspectsPower and Control wheelExplain the wheelLeave the wheel on the screen during activitySimulation and True/False ActivityAsk for four volunteers. Make sure that they understand the subject matter, but assure them that the simulations are low key.Pass out the Dating Violence True/False handout [attached]Ask students to circle answersRead through simulation with volunteers while other students complete handoutAsk them if they have any questions, whether they feel comfortable doing the simulationHave students act out simulation 1 [script attached]Ask for Student reactions to first simulation[ask the role-players how they feel, give them chance to “de-role”]What abusive behavior did you see? Was this “abuse”?Do you think the conduct was criminal? When are words alone a crime?Do you think it’s common for women to abuse men? Physically? Emotionally?Can texting be abuse? What about social media?Have students act out simulation 2 [script attached]Ask for student reactions to second simulation[ask the role-players how they feel, give them chance to “de-role”]What abusive behavior did you see? Was this “abuse”?Do you think the conduct was criminal?Do you think this type of interaction is common in high school relationships?Return to the handoutsSituations like the ones you just saw are all too common among young adults. Let’s look at your handouts, and talk about some statistics.Go over handouts, answers.Pose questions to class: “how many people thought this was true?” “What percentage do you think it is?”Give facts, allow students to react to factsLecture/ResourcesIntroduce students to Now that everyone has seen how prevalent dating violence is, I want to explore the legal consequences. In other words, is “dating abuse” “domestic violence”?[powerpoint]RCWsThere is no crime called “domestic violence” in Washington. Instead, it is a “tag” that is put on other crimes to enhance the punishment.20.50.010- walk through definitions, especially “dating relationship”Go through the crimes that are commonly included as “domestic violence” offenses20.50.020- specific requirements for youthsProtection OrdersNo-Contact, Anti-harassment, civil protection ordersWe’ve seen the prevalence of dating violence, the criminal consequences and some legal protections. Now I want to tackle the question “Why don’t people leave?”The reasons are incredibly diverse and depend on a person’s situation. There are several barriers for people in these relationships including resources (who controls the money?), threats of harm and fear of retaliation, isolation (isolated from family and friends? They may have no one they can trust to turn to), family (safety and wellbeing of children and pets), love (this is a cycle, there are good times in the relationship too), self-blame, don’t realize what their relationship is (some people are raised in DV situations and don’t realize their harm when in them themselves; other times, the signs can be very subtle when there is no actual physical violence) Even greater barriers for specific demographics including men (stigma) anyone not white, LGBTQ persons (don’t want to be outed, immigrants, etcThis is why it’s even more important for us to be talking about domestic violence, being advocates to end it, and proving resources for everyoneResources [handout][walk them through some of the options, ask if anyone has any questions]V. EvaluationsAbility to discuss specific potential criminal and civil charges students saw in simulationsTeen Dating Violence StatisticsDecide whether you think the following statements are True or False; fill in the blank, where appropriate, with your best guessOne in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.truefalseOne in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.truefalse10% of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.truefalseApproximately _____% of college students say they have been sexually coerced.?____% of youth who have been victims of both dating violence and rape attempt suicide.Washington currently does not include dating relationships in its definition of domestic violence. truefalse____% of teens who were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse._____% of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.Teen Dating Violence StatisticsANSWERS1.One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.True. Last year almost 20 million students attended high school. This means about 6.7 million high school students were victims of teen dating violence2.One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.True. So 2 million high school students were physically assaulted by the person they were dating.3.10% of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.False. The number is actually much higher; 25% of girls (or around 2.5 million) have been physically or sexually abused4.Approximately ____% of college students say they have been sexually coerced. 70.5.____% who have been victims of both dating violence and rape attempt suicide.50%. This number is up from 12.5% girls and 5.4% of boys who have not been abused.6.Washington currently does not include dating relationships in their definition of domestic violence.False. Washington does include dating relationships in its definition of domestic violence. But eight states do not, which means that young people in those states often cannot apply for restraining orders.7.Only ____% of teens who were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.33.8.____% of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.81.ROLE PLAY 1(At school)ALEX: Hey Sam, what’s the plan for this weekend?SAM: Well I was going to go see my mom on Saturday, but I just got a text from Jenny that we’re supposed to hang out with Pete and Tisha.A: That’s crazy. You never get to see your mom. Besides, Pete’s a creep—you don’t want to hang with him. S: That’s what I told Jenny, but she keeps texting me. She said only momma’s boys visit their mom’s on the weekend.A: That’s messed up. Is Jenny always like that? S: Pretty much. Last weekend we spent all day rearranging her room. She said if I helped her do that, I could do whatever I wanted to this weekend. (pointing to his phone) Now she says, if I loved her I’d help her with her room AND hang out with Pete and Tisha.A: I’d break up with her if I was you.S: I don’t think that’s a good idea. I couldn’t get another girlfriend…A: (Skeptically) Who told you that? Jenny? S: Well, yeah. Plus all my friends are her friends. It’d be weird. A: Man, you don’t need a girlfriend like that. And you don’t need friends like Pete. I say you should go to your Mom’s and forget about Jenny.S: I don’t know… (looks at phone again) She’s texting me again. I have to go find her, I’ll see you later Alex ROLE PLAY 2(At Pete’s House)PETE: You’ll be at the game on Saturday right?TISHA: I can’t make it on Saturday, I promised Jenny I’d help her fix up her room on Saturday. P: Why did you do that? You know I wanted you there at the game. All the other guys have their girlfriends there – you are going to make me look stupid. T: Pete, I have been to every other game, I just have to help out Jenny this one time, ok?P: (talking louder) No, it’s not ok. I have had it with your selfish attitude. Maybe I can beat some sense into you. T: (backing away) Pete you promised you wouldn’t hit me again. P: (stepping forward with arm raised) yeah – well maybe I changed my mind! T: I’ll call the police if you don’t back off.P: (still shouting) Yeah, who’ll believe you? You’re pathetic! No one cared last time, did they?T: Ok! I’ll come to your game. Whatever you want, just calm down. P: Yeah, I’ll calm down this time, but you better watch it. You know you need me, Tisha, so just behave yourself.Dating and Domestic Violence ResourcesLove Is Respect- Love Is Respect is a good place to start when trying to answer difficult questions like “Should We Break Up?” and “Can I Stop Being Abusive?”King County Website- The King County Website walks individuals through the legal procedures involved in Domestic Violence cases. It connects people to the prosecutors and explains the No Contact Order procedures. It also connects abusers to resourcesThe website also has links intended to deal with specific situations including teen dating violence ().University of Washington Community Resources page- UW’s page compiles a number of difference resources available to people in the Seattle area1 in 3: Specifically geared toward male victims of domestic violencePhone Numbers911In an emergency, always call 911 right away206-205-5555This is a Seattle-specific domestic violence hotline that anyone can call for advice in a non-emergency situation1-800-526-6025This is a state-wide domestic violence hotline1800-799-SAFEThis is a nation-wide domestic violence hotlineA Guide For Friends and Family of Victims Law Opinion PollCircle your reaction to the following statements. Be prepared to discuss your reasoning behind each answer.Couples should be required to live together for six months before getting married.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeWomen who take illegal drugs during pregnancy should be prosecuted for child abuse.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeIf two people of the same sex want to get married and raise a child, they should be allowed to do so.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeChildren should be required to support elderly parents who are in nursing homes and receiving government aid, such as Medicaid.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeIf a woman wishes to have an abortion, she should be able to do so without the consent of the father.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeA husband who physically abuses his wife should be prosecuted for criminal assault, even if the wife is unwilling to testify against him.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeParents who do not pay child support should have their names and photographs included on a website list of those “most wanted” for late child support payments.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeHigh school students should be able to obtain contraceptives at school without their parents’ knowledge or consent.Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreeFILL OUT AND BRING THIS TO CLASS NEXT WEDNESDAY, 4/8/15!5th Hour Street Law HomeworkDUE Wednesday, 4/8/15 – We’ll be discussing your answers in classWrite a short persuasive essay taking a position based on any question from the family law opinion poll. Your essay should contain the following:A statement of your conclusion.(e.g. A high school student should be permitted to obtain a driver’s license at the age of 14.)At least two specific arguments supporting your conclusion.(e.g. Many parents work full time. Therefore, they do not have the time to provide the transportation their children need.)At least one counter-argument that your opponents might make.(e.g. Some people who believe that parents should spend more time with their children might argue that decreasing the minimum driving age would take the burden off parents to provide adequate supervision for their children.)Arguments for why your opponents’ counter-argument(s) are not persuasive.(e.g. The reality of today’s society is that many parents must work full time to support their families. Permitting younger high school students to obtain their drivers’ license would permit these students to provide their own transportation, lessening the demands on their parents and decreasing family stress.)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(Use another sheet of paper if necessary)Opinion Poll: State of the Law1. Couples should be required to live together for six months before getting married.Discussion Points:Would this decrease divorce rates?What sorts of arguments, other than legal arguments, might influence people’s opinions on this? (religious, moral, financial, family needs)Do you think it should be easy to get married?Do you think anything should be required before a couple gets married?State of the Law:Washington has a 3 day waiting period starting on the day you submit your marriage license application. You can obtain a license online, by mail, or in person from the County for a small ($3-$4) fee. Most states have waiting periods for getting a divorce. Washington’s is 90 days. Other states have up to a year waiting period for divorce.2. Women who take illegal drugs during pregnancy should be prosecuted for child abuse.Discussion Points:Should it matter how many times the woman uses drugs during her pregnancy?What if the woman is an addict who is trying to get treatment?Should it matter whether the child shows any physical effects from the mother’s drug use?Do you think this relates to the abortion debate at all? What if a woman uses drugs while pregnant, but then has an abortion after criminal charges are filed?State of the Law:There are only two states (South Carolina and Alabama) as of now that have upheld convictions of a pregnant woman for taking drugs during her pregnancy. See Whitner v. State, 492 S.E.2d 777 (S.C. 1997), McKnight v. State, 661 S.E.2d 354 (S.C. 2008), Ex parte Hope Elisabeth Ankrom Petition for Writ of Certiorari, 143 So. 3d 58 (Ala. 2013). All other states, if they’ve had this problem, have overturned these convictions because a fetus was not considered a “person” in their criminal laws, therefore, a crime couldn’t be committed against them. That doesn’t mean that other states haven’t tried.3. If two people of the same sex want to get married and raise a child, they should be allowed to do so.Discussion Points:What are the reasons why same-sex marriage should not be permitted? Should be permitted?What relationships/circumstances should children be adopted into?State of the Law:Many states have done away with their bans on gay marriage. Washington legalized gay marriage by ballot referendum in 2012 and the law went into effect on December 6, 2012. The Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor (2013) struck down a federal law (DOMA) that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman for federal law purposes (including tax benefits, surviving spouse benefits, immigration, and financial aid eligibility). There are currently four consolidated cases before the Supreme Court that will determine if the U.S. Constitution (14th Amendment specifically) requires states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and if states are required to recognize same-sex marriages validly entered into in another state (See for updates on the case including oral argument transcripts after April 28, 2015). See LA Times map that shows gay marriage law among the states from 2000 – Feb 2015 Washington, a court cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation in child custody determinations. (Marriage of Cabalquinto, 100 Wn.2d 325 (1983)). Washington, like many other states, also allows LGBT individuals, and same-sex couples to petition to adopt as well as a same sex partner to petition to adopt the other partner’s child. Other states are not as LGBT friendly however. 4. Children should be required to support elderly parents who are in nursing homes and receiving government aid, such as Medicaid.State of the LawWashington currently has no law requiring children to support needy parents. Such a law was in effect until 1976, but it was repealed when the federal government told states that they would lose federal aid if they required people to pay for the care of blind and disabled parents.5. If a woman wishes to have an abortion, she should be able to do so without the consent of the father.Discussion PointsWhat if the father is also the woman’s husband? Does that change your opinion? Why/Why not?What if the positions were reversed, and the woman did not want to have an abortion but the man insisted that she do so? What would your opinion be in that situation?What if the father insisted that the woman either have an abortion or sign away her rights to receive any child support? Do you think that should be permitted?What if a man clearly told his female partner that he did not want children, and the woman promised to use birth control and have an abortion if she became pregnant? Should the man be required to pay child support if the woman later gets pregnant and refuses to have an abortion?State of the Law:The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state cannot require a spouse’s consent before a woman has an abortion. The Court based its opinion on the fact that the woman physically bears the child and is more directly affect, and to allow the husband veto power would grant him power over the woman. The U.S. Supreme Court, in Planned Parenthood of S.E. Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992), struck down a provision in a Pennsylvania law requiring that husbands be notified before an abortion.The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld parental notification laws for minors seeking an abortion, but only if there is also a judicial bypass put in place so that the minor has the alternative option of obtaining a judge’s consent instead of a parent’s. (see Planned Parenthood v. Casey again). 6. A husband who physically abuses his wife should be prosecuted for criminal assault, even if the wife is unwilling to testify against him.We will be spending the rest of class discussing Domestic Violence. In short, Washington has a comprehensive set of laws pertaining to the issue of domestic violence from many criminal statutes to protection orders, with an expansive definition of who domestic violence affects/harms.7. Parents who do not pay child support should have their names and photographs included on a web site list of those “most wanted” for late child support payments.Discussion Points:What is the purpose of child support?What can be done to get parents to pay child support?What sorts of things should child support be used for?State of the Law:Washington and many other states have such websites. See Indiana’s Most Wanted Child Support list (); Washington’s Most Wanted Child Support list (). The King County Prosecutor’s Office has a program specifically designed to make sure parents pay child support. That office assists parents who have custody of their children in establishing paternity, and obtaining and enforcing child support orders. To enforce child support payments, the state can garnish the parents’ wages, seize and sell parents’ property, take parents’ IRS refunds, and suspend parents’ drivers’ licenses.8. High school students should be able to obtain contraceptives at school without their parents’ knowledge or consent.Discussion Points:If you were a parent with teenage kids, would your opinion be different?Why might some parents oppose the distribution of contraceptives to their children at school?Do you think that by making contraceptives available to students, high schools send a message about teenage sex?What would be the purpose of distributing contraceptives at high school?State of the Law:The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the SALE of contraceptives to minors cannot be prohibited. Whether condoms or other contraceptives should be distributed at schools is being debated my many school boards across the country. The spread of AIDS and high rates of teenage pregnancy are cited as reasons in favor of distribution. Some other groups argue that by providing contraceptives to students, high schools send a message condoning teen sex. ................
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