Current events are assigned approximately every 2 weeks.  A student is to choose a current event from newspaper, radio, television news, or other reliable source.  Then the student is to write a 60 word summary of the event and its importance to the people of the United States.  This is the "so what?" part of the assignment, and the grade depends on the student's ability to explain the article's importance.  This will earn a student a grade of "C".

A grade of "A" also includes a brief explanation of the way the government effects the event.

Example 1:
Grade "C":
     Just last week, California state legislature passed a bill outlawing the sale of soda a t elementary and middle schools.  The author of the bill, Senator Deborah Ortiz, a Democrat for Sacramento, stated that the bill aims at preventing obesity, tooth decay, and lack of nutrition.  The law, which will take effect July 1, 2004, will allow the sale of milk, juice, and sports drinks only.  This angered many people, however, including the superintendent of Elk Grove Schools, Dave Gordon, who said, "If I've got to cut $10 million, don't talk to me about soda machines."  This means that if he is going to be forced to cut his budget, then it is foolish to outlaw any source of revenue.  Last week, an organization called the Center for Science in the Public Interest stated that to burn off one 20 ounce soda, a child has to bike for over an hour.  20 ounces.  That is a huge soda!

Grade "A":
     The bill began in the senate almost a year ago.  Introduced by Deborah Ortiz, Democrat from Sacramento, it traveled through the Senate with little debate.  First, it was assigned to the Public Health Committee, which advised the Senate to pass it.  After its third reading, it narrowly survived with just over the necessary 51% vote to pass.  It then traveled to the Assembly, which voted to only accept the bill if changes were made.  Then, they allowed the bill committee to review it, and it survived to the third reading and vote.  Due to the changes made, it passed after a long debate.  It then went to Governor Gray Davis, who waited several days before finally signing the bill.


Example 2:
Grade of C:
    This article from the New Youk Times discusses the new harassment technique of name calling, insinuation and threats by e-mail.  People, particularly young people, are sending threatening and/or insulting messages to each other, which concerns parents and school officials.  Students have even changed schools to avoid thisproblem.  Parents and school officials recognize that the increased use of cell phones contributes to the problem.  Students can e-mail messages in class as well as out, causing the problem to be increasingly widespread.

Grade of A:  
    The Bill of Rights specifically guarantees certain freedoms, such as freedom of speech and press.  Regulation of e-mail and paging services is seen by some as a violation of first ammendment rights, particularly the right to freedom of speech and freedom of press.    However, there is another set of rights, some of which were addressed by Norman Rockwell in his Four Freedoms series of paintings; one of those freedoms is, ³freedom from fear.²  People who create fear in others are taking away a person¹s right to feel safe.  Not only that, freedom of speech and press are specifically defined as freedom to criticize the government, not to harrass other people.  Therefore, the government (state or federal) would be wise to regulate e-mail just as it regulates harassment in the work place and in public for adults.  Legislation making harassment illegal would allow the recepients of unwanted e-mail to take the senders to either legal or civil court and seek judgement against them.