CTSE LESSON PLAN MODEL

UNIT TOPIC: War on Terror LESSON TOPIC: The PATRIOTAct

PI: What actions are justified in the interest of the welfare or security of the community?

CQ: Should Congress have passed the PATRIOT Act?I. OBJECTIVES

a. Students will be able to: 1. Define the US PATRIOT Act2. Identify the reason the PATRIOT Act was passed3. State and explain both the merits and criticisms ofthe passage of the US PATROT Act4. Evaluate the usefulness of the US PATRIOT Act

II. MATERIALS1. Powerpoint containing information on PATRIOT Act, hearing instructions, and assessment instructions2. Grabber information and discussion guide3. Four/five articles for hearing preparation and comprehension questions4. PowerPoint Handout (print PPT with 4 slides/page; show slides 4-9)5. Instructions and scaffolds for each role in hearing 6. Video modeling Washington Press conference7. Paper, markers or colored pencils for artist 8. Computer and Smartboard9. DRC for conference.

III. PROCEDURESA. INTRODUCTION (the instructor will do one of two grabbers):

1. GRABBER #1i. To introduce the grabber, ask students if they

have heard about the Huntsville schools surveillance. If they have, ask students to sharewhat information they know, but do not engage in aclass-wide discussion, so as to avoid spoiling theplanned discussion.

ii. Display the headline on the PowerPoint, explain the highlights of the article about the HuntsvilleSurveillance (provided on separate sheet for just the instructor to use), and tell students they will ultimately be deciding if the actions taken by the school were justified (write this question on the board), then sharing their decision.

iii. The instructor should use the questioning script to facilitate this discussion.

iv. Continue the discussion for approximately 20 minutes. Direct the conversation towards having students discover the key issues and eventually connect the idea of school surveillance to the surveillance done by the government as allowed by the PATRIOT ACT (but do not introduce PA yet). Theinstructor will use the grabber questioning scriptto move the discussion along.

v. The instructor will introduce the topic of the PATRIOT Act by reviewing previous topics covered connected to the War on Terror. The instructor should then introduce the PI and the CQ. Tell students, in order to answer the CQ, there are fundamental ideas that must be explored first, andthat our culminating activity will be a press conference where we will discuss the CQ.

vi. Tell students you will now go over a PPT that willexplain the PATRIOT Act, then you will do a historical perspective activity where they will explore the different opinions about the PATRIOT Act, participate in a press conference where they will grapple with the CQ, and they will eventuallybe released of their assigned roles and asked to write a letter to the editor or create a politicalcartoon that includes their personal opinion.

2. Grabber #2 i. To introduce the grabber, ask students what

types of government surveillance they know of. If they have, ask students to share what information they know, but do not engage in a

class-wide discussion, so as to avoid spoiling the planned discussion.

ii. Display the headline on the PowerPoint, explain the highlights of the article about the “MassiveIntrusion” article (provided on separate sheet for just the instructor to use), and tell students they will ultimately be deciding if theactions taken by the federal agencies were justified (write this question on the board), then sharing their decision.

iii. The instructor should use the questioning scriptto facilitate this discussion.

iv. Continue the discussion for approximately 20 minutes. Direct the conversation towards havingstudents discover the key issues and eventually connect the idea of government surveillance usedto stop crime to the surveillance done by the government as allowed by the PATRIOT ACT (but donot introduce PA yet). The instructor will use the grabber questioning script to move the discussion along.

v. The instructor will introduce the topic of the PATRIOT Act by reviewing previous topics coveredconnected to the War on Terror. The instructor should then introduce the PI and the CQ. Tell students, in order to answer the CQ, there are fundamental ideas that must be explored first, and that our culminating activity will be a press conference where we will discuss the CQ.

vi. Tell students you will now go over a PPT that will explain the PATRIOT Act, then you will do ahistorical perspective activity where they will explore the different opinions about the PATRIOTAct, participate in a press conference where they will grapple with the CQ, and they will eventually be released of their assigned roles and asked to write a letter to the editor or create a political cartoon that includes their personal opinion.

B. BODY OF THE LESSON 1. Introduce activity, present content.i. Pass out PPT slide print off so students can follow along. The instructor will bring up the short PPT that goes over the PATRIOT Act, which also indicates how the PATRIOT Act is embedded in the unitand connected to the CQ. As the PPT is presented, emphasize the points in the PPT slide notes. Reiterate to students that the culminating activity, the press conference, and the final assessment (the letter to the editor/political cartoon) will require that the students have a full knowledge of each side of this issue. ii. The PPT will also include instructions for the press conference. In order to perform the press conference, students will be assigned roles and perspectives. Go over the instructions and responsibilities. iii. Show a clip of the Washington Press Conference, so as to model to the students how the conference will be performed. (On PIH site) iv. Display the seating chart/groups on the PPT and tell students those are the groups they will be working in.

2. Applicationi. Once students are in their groups, go over each handout again briefly and explain what to do with each. Then, hand out the:

a. Group work instructions/checklist (one)

b. Character bio and comprehension questions (one for each student).

c. Students who are reading arguments in favor ofthe PA handout titled, “Patriot Act Protects Americans from Terrorism.” (enough for each student)

d. Those reading about those opposed need the onelabeled, “Abuses of the Patriot Act.” (enough for each student)e. Short summary of all of the characters included in this press conference (one)d. Instructions and scaffold for statement and for answering questions for actor (one)e. Instructions and scaffold for statement for Public Relations Agent (one)f. Instructions and scaffold for asking questionsfor reporters (one)g. Instructions and scaffold for artist (this is an optional role, if there are only three studentsin a group, add this to the PR’s responsibilities)

ii. The teacher should walk around the room, being available to answer questions. The instructor should also ask probing questions of the groups to make sure that they are seeing the depth of their character and are properly anticipating their opponent’s positions.

iii. Once students have prepared for the press conference, create a panel in the front of the class consisting of actors and their PR agents. The reporters and artists should sit facing the panel, in the audience. Artists should tape their displays on the wall or desks and sit down in the audience. Then, each PR agent will give an opening statement. The reporters will first each ask attacking questions, allowing historical figures to respond, and then have the reporters as the supportive questions. The instructor should help to keep the lesson focused on facts that pertain to answering the CQ. The instructorshould also try to have students to respond to each other, and encourage those who are not speaking up, to do so. Once all of the issues of the PATRIOT Act have been identified and discussed, the instructor should bring the conference to a close. The artists who are sitting the audience should be recording notes on the

DRC that will be copied and distributed to each member of their group.

3. Closure/conclusioni. The instructor should tell students that they may now step out of their assigned roles and are now senators, and will vote on whether or not the PATRIOT Act should have been passed. Count those for and against, and write the number on the board. Then lead the students through a debrief discussion with the questions provided in the debrief script. Remind students they are free from any role and are encouragedto share their own opinions. Start with asking questions about certain discussions that came out during the press conference, then move to questions from the debrief script. The instructor should encourage students to talk to each other, not just to respond to the instructor.

C. CLOSURE/CONCLUSION1. Wrap-up/summary/synthesis activity

1. Assignmenti. Students will prepare a letter to the editor orpolitical cartoon answering the question, should the PATRIOT Act have been passed? Before assigning students to complete this task in class, go over the requirements, and show them the example, (both in the end of the PPT) pointing out each point and the support. First go over the requirements slide, then show the model. Hand out an instruction sheetand a model to students, depending on which assignment they choose. Instruct students that theyshould step out of their assigned roles and write their personal opinion down. Allow 25 minutes for students to do this.

i. EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNINGThis will be based on the three rubrics used.

Huntsville Article Summary for Instructor to memorize and share with class: The instructor should be intimately familiar with the article itself so deeper information may be offered should it be necessary, and to draw from for questioning. This information should get the class started, and supplement the Powerpoint, but only the teacher will see this, simply conveying this information to the students.

As of September last year, Huntsville schools have been secretly monitoring students’ Facebooks and other social medias.

Superintendent claims NSA called and alerted administration about a post a student had made on Facebook, threatening a teacher.

The NSA has no record of making this call and made a statement saying they never made this call.

Huntsville school records show that four students have been identified through this program as posting pictures of themselves with handguns on Facebook; three were expelled and one was referred to counseling. The students may have been 18, and legally able to possess a handgun off of schoolproperty, where the picture was taken.

Huntsville system of surveillance also relies on the “if yousee something, say something” idea. This encourages students and staff to share information with the administration about dangerous and illegal activity.

The monitoring only focuses on guns, threats of violence (including gangs), and threats of suicide. The will not act on alcohol, drug, or sexual activities.

Huntsville Schools Questioning Script For the instructor to use to facilitate grabber discussion. The responses underneath each answer are expected student responses.

1. Is the first amendment violated? (Free speech)

a. Yes- free speech; people are just posting on Facebook…

that is their right.

b. No- illegal activity is not protected; neither is

threatening people’s safety.

2. Is the fourth amendment violated? (Protection against

unreasonable search and seizure)

a. Yes- the searches are done in private and for no

reason. Also, the administration wont make public what

they are looking for, what if I get in trouble for

something I didn’t know was against the rules?

b. No- The searches are warranted because there are so

many gangs and students participating in illegal

activity, which all raises suspicion. The school is

trying to protect the school and those who work at it

and attend it. Court cases have already set precedence

for schools having more rights to restrict certain

student behaviors and restricting and punishing violent

behaviors warrants searches.

3. Is posting photos of illegal activity on Facebook illegal?

What about photos of activity that are against school rules,

should those be allowed to be punishable?

a. Yes- that is primary evidence. A picture is proof of

wrongdoing.

b. No- photos can be faked, and its only a picture, a

picture doesn’t prove anything.

4. Do photos on social media warrant a search of personal

property?

a. Yes- They provide enough evidence to arouse suspicion;

give probable cause.

b. No- Can be faked; Need a warrant before anything of

mine should be searched.

5. Three students were expelled for posting photos of them with

guns. This search started because of a potential “threat.”

What is a “threat”?

a. Saying you want to harm someone or something.

b. Saying you will harm someone or something.

c. Being capable of harming someone or something.

d. Actual definition: A menace designed to intimidate the

person on whom it is directed to take some action, and

which carries with it some sanction if not performed.

6. Do the punishments of expulsion fit the crimes? Why or why

not?

a. Yes-

i. Having a gun is threatening.

ii. If a student has a gun and you are posting it in a

threatening way on Facebook, then you deserve this

punishment because you aren’t responsible with a

gun and may cause harm.

iii. If having a gun is against the rules and the rules

state you get expelled for it, then those are the

rules. Seems fair.

b. No-

i. The student could have legally possessed the gun,

and it was a picture taken off of school property.

The school has no jurisdiction there.

ii. Just because you have a gun and post a picture

doesn’t mean you intend to cause harm; it is not a

threat.

c. The photo may be threatening, but expulsion was too

harsh.

7. The punishment regarding a boy posting a picture with a gun

that he has legally, what if it were a hunting weapon? How

would that be handled differently? Why? Is that right?

a. It should be treated the same; all guns are capable of

causing harm.

b. It should be treated the same. Even though he probably

doesn’t have the same intentions, it would be unfair if

this case was not at least investigated, too.

c. It should be different. Hunting is not illegal. Even

according to law, it is easier to have a hunting rifle

than a pistol because of the intended purpose of each

weapon. The context of a picture of someone hunting is

not threatening—the hunter’s intentions are clear. The

context of a young adult holding a pistol is consistent

with a threatening image. They are different and should

be treated differently.

8. Why would the social media monitoring be limited to threats

against schools? What if there was a threat to the

neighborhood? To the president? Are those who monitor the

social media accounts responsible for reporting that? What

if they aren’t and something happens?

a. The schools are the ones doing the monitoring; they

should only have to look out for themselves. The school

cant be responsible for everyone and everything, it

would be impossible; the line needs to be drawn

somewhere.

b. If the schools are going to monitoring social media

anyway, they should be aware of all illegal activity

and threats. If they can stop something bad from

happening, they should.

9. What if it turns out the NSA never did call the Huntsville

Schools, should the school system be punished for his

monitoring and surveillance?

a. Yes-

i. They are probably acting illegally

ii. Even if it is legal, they lied.

b. No-

i. The means justify the ends.

ii. They have probable cause.

iii. Schools have more rights granted to them in

protecting the welfare of the students than the

nation does in protecting the welfare of their

citizens; it may not be something I like, but I

think it would stand up in court.

Massive Intrusion Article Information for Instructor to Share

The instructor should be intimately familiar with the article itself so deeper information may be offered should it be necessary, and to draw from for questioning. This information should get the class started, and supplement the Powerpoint, but only the teacher will see this, simply conveying this information to the students.

Since 1987, government has been monitoring AT&T phone

records in search of “burner phones” which are prepaid and

disposable, used by drug dealers—the reason for the

monitoring

Evidence secretly holds up in trial

Used by DEA

Protection of unreasonable search and seizure company

servers are not private and scan be searched (e-mails, the

Cloud is not protected)

Supreme Court (US v. Jones) decided that when tracking

someone with a planted device, it must be warranted, but the

Court would not rule about the GPS tracking our phones

automatically do

Drones for surveillance (of criminals)

Data base of license plate photos tracking (also for

monitoring traffic violations)

Stingrays: mimic cell tower, intercepts calls and

communications (to track criminals)

Massive Intrusion Questioning Script For the instructor to use to facilitate grabber discussion. The responses underneath each answer are expected student responses.

1. Is the DEA justified in monitoring phone records in search

of drug dealers?

a. Yes: if you don’t have anything to hide, you are

unharmed and drug dealing needs to be stopped; people

die from OD and violence, the monitoring is justified.

b. No:

i. No, not everyone should be subjected to the

surveillance, they need more focused methods.

ii. It is done in secret, so it shouldn’t be

admissible in court.

c. The DEA should not be allowed to look as far back

as 1987.

2. In reading e-mails, is our 4th amendment right protecting

against unwarranted search and seizure violated?

a. Yes- the searches are done in private and for no

reason. People’s private information can be read and

looked at by the government for no reason.

b. No- The searches are warranted because they are done in

private. Probably no one even realizes that he or she

is being monitored/searched. They are harmless, first

of all because if you aren’t doing anything suspicious,

then you have nothing to worry about.

c. No, not everyone in America is being monitored, there

is obviously some reason that certain those who are

monitored are getting that attention, so the search is

not unreasonable.

d. It’s more important that too many people get searched

than too few in the name of preventing crime. In the

name of national security, it is OK for the government

to violate the fourth amendment.

3. Are we entitled to a “right to privacy?” Where/how? Is it

being violated?

a. Yes, this is a part of the fourth amendment; because we

have a right against being unreasonably searched, this

infers a right to privacy—those searching must have a

valid reason to search. Being monitored is violating

this right.

b. No, that is not explicitly granted anywhere.

c. Though it is not granted, when people send e-mails and

make phone calls, they assume they are only shared with

the intended recipient, so having secret surveillance

is a misuse and abuse of power.

d. Though it is not granted, the use of electronic

communication should come with the knowledge that by

its very property, it can be read by outside sources,

so anyone who communicates this way should be

responsible about what they choose to share.

4. Should the government have access to the information your

cell phones provides, in the way of GPS tracking?

a. Yes—I am not doing anything illegal, what’s the harm?

b. Yes—there are a lot of things the government does that

I am unaware of and obviously, for the most part it

works. I want them to be able to make decisions about

what is best for me. If I need to be monitored to end

crime, its OK.

c. No—it is an invasion of privacy and an abuse of power.

d. No—they should have to have a reason to follow someone,

like the 4th amendment says.

5. Follow up to question 4: in what ways is planting a

tracking device different from accessing the one built into

your phones? Is it any different?

a. It’s the same—its done for good reason

b. It is different—people who are planted with a tracking

device have done something that warrants being tracked—

the average cell phone owner does not.

6. Should you parents have access to this information if the

government can? (about cell phone tracking)

a. Yes- they pay for it.

b. Yes—our parents want to keep us safe and I tell them

where I am, anyway.

c. No—if my parents can’t trust what I say, then how can I

ever be expected to do anything for myself?

d. No-- before technology, people had to rely on overt

communication, we should still rely on that.

7. The Federal Government has been accused of lacking

transparency. Let’s stipulate that we agree with this

position. What potential hazards could be outcomes of this

lack of transparency in our federal government?

a. The government could become too powerful, we could lose

control and we would have no idea what they are doing—

we could lose our freedom (this could develop in many

ways).

8. Is the government ever justified in using secret methods to

conduct surveillance on its citizens? (i.e. Drones,

stingray, license plate system):

a. Yes: for varying reasons depending on which method

i. Overall protection and doesn’t do any harm

b. No: for varying reasons depending on which method of

surveillance

i. Invasion of privacy, it’s illegal, we could become

like a police state.

Handout: Instructions for Preparing for Trial/Group Checklist

Each group will need one sheet with this information. At the beginning of group work, designate one person responsible for ensuring that each step on this checklist is complete.

o Read over your assigned roles, share your role and responsibility with your group.

o As a group, read your assigned perspective. Each person will be responsible for filling their comprehension questions out, but help each other with clarifying and having a unified idea of the text’s meaning.

o Use your perspectives sheet, your role instructions, your supplemental handout, and your role scaffold to help you develop your product for the hearing.

o Each group member needs to rehears his or her presentation at least once before presenting.

o Make sure you have each of the following:

Opening statement that will be made by Public RelationsAgent about the historical figure’s position

The historical figure will be prepared to answer questions from audience (both attacking and supportive)

The reporter will have prepared questions for those in opposition, as well as questions for the assigned

historical figure, so as to ask questions of him or herto make him or her look good.

The visual representation created by the artist

Handout: Perspectives

Each group will need one, to be used to prepare for and create questions for opponent

Support:

George W. Bush: President of US during 9/11 attacks. Supports USA PATRIOT Act because he views it as a precautionary measure that will protect America, which is primary goal.

Richard Burr: Supporter of US Patriot Act. A senator from North Carolina, and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee (provides oversight for government intelligence organizations). Burr supports the vote to maintain the Patriot Act, especially the bulk surveillance provision.

Oppose:

(For larger class) Susan Lindauer:  is an American journalist, antiwar activist, and former U.S. Congressional staffer. She was charged with

"acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government" and violating U.S. financial sanctions during the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Frank James Jim Sensenbrenner, Jr.  is an American politician who has been a member of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. He is the self-proclaimed author of the PATRIOT Act as it was published and put into legislation in 2001.

Rasheed Ahmed: President of the Muslim Civil Rights Center, protesting the provisions made in the PATRIOT Act

Richard Burr: Supporter of US Patriot Act. A senator from North Carolina, and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee (provides oversight for government intelligence organizations). Burr supports the vote to maintain the Patriot Act, especially the bulk surveillance provision.

The Patriot Act has enhanced the fight against terrorists in fourkey areas: 1) it has removed obstacles to investigating terrorism; 2) it has strengthened the criminal laws against terrorism; 3) it has enhanced the federal government's capacity to share intelligence;4) it has updated the law to keep pace withtremendous advances in technology. The third provision mentionedabove is especially important as several federal agencies had

been tracking the 9-11 terrorists before the attacks but because of the lack of information sharing, the attacks were massive and deadly.

Essentially the Patriot Act gives investigators the ability to fight terror, using many of the same court-approved tools that have been used successfully for many years in drug, fraud, and organized crime cases. Do the critics of the Patriot Act believe that law enforcement should not use these same tools to protect Americans from terrorists? 

As of May 5, 2004, the Department of Justice has charged 310 defendants with criminal offenses as a result of terrorism investigations allowed by Patriot Act; 179 of those defendants have already been convicted, including shoe bomber Richard Reid. 

Four terrorist cells in Buffalo, Portland, Detroit, and Seattle have been broken up, and millions of dollars in assets destined to finance terrorist activities have been frozen or forfeited. The threats against America today are even more severe than before 9-11 with groups like ISIS threatening our safety every day. The opposition claim that they didn’t know how the bulk phone surveillance would be used, but that information was available to all congressmen if they had chosen to attend confidential briefings on the topic. The phone companies (and other commercial companies, i.e. grocers, credit card companies) collect this information, anyway, and they are not monitored or regulated with how it’s used. We will be more vulnerable withoutthe Patriot Act.

Handout: Reading Questions for Burr:

Each group member will need to fill these out; be sure to answer them with your team so you have similar views of your character.

1. What are the positive provisions of the PATRIOT Act?

2. How do they better protect Americans?

3. How does Burr defend phone surveillance?

4. What safeguards are in place to protect our civil liberties?

5. How could the 9/11 attacks been found out about? How does the PATRIOT Act ensure missed information will never happen again?

Handout: President Bush's Address

Following is a transcription of President Bush’s weekly radio address yesterday as recorded by The New York Times. December, 17, 2005.

As president, I took an oath to defend the Constitution and I have no greater responsibility than to protect our people, our freedom and our way of life.

On Sept. 11, 2001, our freedom and way of life came under attack by brutal enemies who killed nearly 3,000 innocent Americans. We’re fighting these enemies across the world. Yet in this first war of the 21st century, one of the most critical battlefronts isthe home front. And since Sept. 11, we’ve been on the offensive against the terrorists plotting within our borders.

The Patriot Act tore down the legal and bureaucratic wall that kept law enforcement and intelligence authorities from sharing vital information about terrorist threats. And the Patriot Act allowed federal investigators to pursue terrorists with tools they already used against other criminals.

Congress passed this law with a large bipartisan majority, including a vote of 98 to 1 in the United States Senate. Since then, America’s law enforcement personnel have used this criticallaw to prosecute terrorist operatives and supporters and to breakup terrorist cells in New York, Oregon, Virginia, California, Texas and Ohio.

In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. lawand the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to Al Qaeda and relatedterrorist organizations. Before we intercept these communications, the government must have information that establishes a clear link to these terrorist networks.

Two of the terrorist hijackers who flew a jet in the Pentagon, Nawaf Alhazmi and Khalid al-Midhar, communicated while they were in the United States, to other members of Al Qaeda who were overseas. But we didn’t know they were here until it was too late.

And the activities conducted under this authorization have helpeddetect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.

The N.S.A.’s activities under this authorization are thoroughly reviewed by the Justice Department and N.S.A.’s top legal officials, including N.S.A.’s general counsel and inspector general.Intelligence officials involved in this activities also receive extensive training to ensure they perform their duties consistent with the letter and intent of the authorization.

This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The Americanpeople expect me to do everything in my power under our laws and Constitution to protect them and their civil liberties. And that is exactly what I will continue to do so long as I’m the president of the United States.

Handout: Reading Questions for Bush:

Each group member will need to fill these out; be sure to answer them with your team so you have similar views of your character.

1. Why was the PATRIOT Act passed?

2. In what ways does the PATRIOT Act given legitimacy/authority? (think about who Bush claims supports it).

3. What can the government now do that they couldn’t before that will help protect Americans?

4. How has the PATRIOT Act already been a success?

Handout: Susan Lindauer's Mission To Baghdad (Include only for larger class)

By David Samuels for New York TimesAugust 29, 2004On the morning of March 11, 2004, Susan Lindauer woke to find five F.B.I. agents at her front door. After reading her rights, the agents took Lindauer from her home in Takoma Park, Md., to the F.B.I. field office in Baltimore, where she was charged with having acted as an unregistered agent of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government and otherwise having elevated the interests of a foreign country above her allegiance to the United States.

''I'm an antiwar activist, and I'm innocent, I did more to stop terrorism in this country than anybody else.''

By failing to register herself formally as a lobbyist and by supposedly following instructions from Iraqi diplomats and intelligence agents at the United Nations, the government charged, Lindauer had been acting as ''an unregistered agent of aforeign government,'' a violation of federal law that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Lindauer acknowledges that the meetings detailed in the federal indictment took place, but denies acting as an agent of Iraq or any other country…

In pursuit of her ideals, she says, she began traveling to New York as often as twice a week, meeting with diplomats from Muslimcountries, including Yemen and Malaysia, as well as representatives of Libya and Iraq. Her aim, as she explained it, was to function as a hand-holder and cheerleader, an unofficial go-between who could help break the cycle of isolation, paranoia and suffering created by sanctions…

In February 2002, soon after President Bush delivered his State of the Union address naming Iraq part of an ''axis of evil,'' theIraqis invited Lindauer to Baghdad.

''It was beautiful,'' she said of Al Rashid Hotel, where she stayed between her meetings with Iraqi officials. ''I had a suite, so it was very nice.''

…Lindauer's girlish voice detailed ''the horrific abuses, the sexual torture'' being visited on innocent Iraqis by coalition troops. That is why, she explained, in June 2003 she met with an F.B.I. agent posing as a Libyan intelligence officer who, according to the indictment, purported to be ''seeking to supportresistance groups in postwar Iraq.'' Lindauer said that in those meetings she was seeking financial backing for a lawsuit against the United States and British governments for crimes she claimed they committed during the occupation of Iraq. She continued to exchange e-mail with the undercover agent until she was arrested. Lindauer wasn’t doing anything to harm America and because of the NSA surveillance, her first and fourth amendment rights were violated. Though she wasn’t doing anything illegal, she was monitored and arrested because the government didn’t like what she was doing. Forget about democracy, this sounds like an autocracy.

Handout: Reading Questions for Lindauer:

Each group member will need to fill these out; be sure to answer them with your team so you have similar views of your character.

1. Why was Lindauer arrested? What were the reasons leading up to why she was eventually arrested?

2. What are Lindauer’s goals, as far as dealing with those in Iraq?

3. How was the PATRIOT Act used to arrest Lindauer?

4. Why would Lindauer say her arrest is unconstitutional?

Handout: “Sensenbrenner wants tweaks to his own Patriot Act”

By Adam Serwer, MSNBC + Excerpt from NPR interview with Jim Sensenbrenner.

November 19, 2013, August 20, 2013

“The Patriot Act never would have passed…had there been any inclination at all it would have authorized bulk collections,” Wisconsin Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (the original author of the USA PATRIOT Act) said.

After being a forceful defender of the Patriot Act for many years, Sensenbrenner has now joined with Vermont Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy in sponsoring legislation to rein in the government’s surveillance powers.

“What Congress intended and what I intended [in the Patriot Act]is that the target had to be a foreign national and not a U.S. person. [Someone] would be targeted, and then the NSA would find out who that person was calling, both in the United States and elsewhere, rather than grabbing all of the phone information and working backwards to the target. The relevant standard was intended to limit what NSA could do…it [has been] expanded [on].

The Federal Appeals Court of the Second Circuit in New York ruledunanimously that the bulk collection of American’s records and the program’s interpretation of “relevant information” was

unconstitutional in violating the Fourth Amendment and carried out illegally. It's the court that is supposed to protect the constitutional rights of Americans. I think that James Madison did a pretty good job when he put together the Bill of Rights. I view the Bill of Rights as a sacred document and one of the documents that makes America so much more different than any other country in the history of the world…

All I can say is is that even though the Russians told us that the Tsarnaev brothers were potential terrorists, they never used the NSA apparently to track them back before this horror that occurred at the time of the Boston Marathon. The more records youhave, the more likely it is that you can't find what you're looking for. What 215 (bulk surveillance provision) tried to do is say, know who you're looking for first and then see who that person is in contact with. The NSA apparently believed that that was too much work for them.”

There is really no evidence that the Patriot Act is working. Many congressmen who voted for it did not know it would be used this way, including myself. Bulk sueveillance is illegal, why isthis topic even being debated?

Handout: Reading Questions for Sensenbrenner:

Each group member will need to fill these out; be sure to answer them with your team so you have similar views of your character.

1. In what ways is Sensenbrenner changing his position on the PA?

2. What makes Sensenbrenner a credible source on the PA?

3. According to Sensenbrenner, what is being violated?

4. In what ways does Sensenbrenner suggest the PA needs to be amended and improved upon?

Handout: “Chicago Condemns Patriot Act”by ELAINE CASSE, for Counter PunchOctober 2, 2003

for the perspective of Rasheed Ahmed

The Chicago City Counsel voted to pass a resolution condemning the USA PATRIOT Act, becoming the largest city in the United States to show its contempt for the Ashcroft-Congress brand of patriotism.

As reported by attorney Noah Leavitt, with Chicago’s Jewish Counsel on Urban Affairs, Aldermen Helen Shiller (Ward 46), Joe Moore (Ward 49), Freddrenna Lyle (Ward 6) and Ricardo Munoz (Ward22) introduced a resolution to the City Council supporting Chicago’s immigrant population and condemning the excesses of theUSA PATRIOT Act (this includes the provisions providing for expanded authority to search financial records, conduct roving wiretaps and track “lone wolf” terrorist suspect). The resolution "reaffirms the rights of all people living within the City under the U.S. Constitution and calls for the City to work for the repeal of the Act and associated Executive Orders which violate our fundamental rights and liberties. City Council passed the resolution at this morning’s meeting."

Chicago Arabs and Jews, represented by the Jewish Counsel on Urban Affairs (JCUA) and the Muslim Civil Rights Center (MCRC), worked together to get the resolution passed. Said Rasheed Ahmed,President of the MCRC, "This is a huge victory for all people whocare about civil rights. As Muslims, we feel the sting of suspicion and the fear of a knock on our doors. The practice of guilt by association, perpetrated against American Muslim and Arab-American communities, undermines the fundamental meaning of the Bill of Rights and sets the legal precedence for the same fate for all Americans. The nefarious USA PATRIOT Act is leading to the creation of a second tier justice system that could be used against any American for political purposes and weakens the fabric of our democratic society."

Today’s PATRIOT Act is reminiscent of other infringements on civil liberties in America’s history such as the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the Red hunts of the McCarthy period in the 1950s."

The USA PATRIOT Act compromises the civil liberties of all Americans, but particularly affects Muslim and Arab-American communities. In Chicago, large numbers of immigrant workers have been arrested on numerous occasions, including in raids at O’Hareand Midway airports as well as the Sears Tower. These raids have led to the detention and deportation of many Latino immigrant airport workers.

A joint statement released by JCUA and MCRC indicates that violence against Arabs in Chicago increased from four in the year2000 to 60 in the year 2001 to 124 last year. The PATRIOT Act, itreasons, poisons Chicago by creating a climate of xenophobia (irrational fear/dislike of people from different countries), distrust, and paranoia. It alienates the very communities that could provide crucial assistance to our national security and lawenforcement bodies.

Because of the PATRIOT Act’s broad scope and its many negative effects, communities across the country are joining together to voice their opposition. Three states and more than 160 municipalities from 28 states –approximately 20 million people– have passed resolutions criticizing the Act. Similar efforts are underway across the country.

Americans shouldn’t have to sacrifice personal liberties for national security.

Handout: Reading Questions for Rasheed Ahmed:

Each group member will need to fill these out; be sure to answer them with your team so you have similar views of your character.

1. Why does the Chicago Council condemn the USA PATRIOT Act?

2. What have been the measurable negative consequences of the PATRIOT Act? How are minorities being violated specifically?

3. What previous legislation, either in US or other countries can this be compared to?

4. What constitutional rights are being violated by the PATRIOT Act?

Handout: Abuses of the Patriot Act (source: Wikipedia)This information should be used to strengthen your opposition of the PA. You can use it to attack your opponent’s position or to highlight the positive aspects of your own.

Investigation of potential drug traffickersIn September 2003, the New York Times reported on a case of the USAPATRIOT Act being used to investigate alleged potential drug traffickers without probable cause. The article also mentions a study by Congress that referenced hundreds of cases where the USAPATRIOT Act was used to investigate non-terrorist alleged future crimes.

Blanket requests for financial information on visitors to Las VegasIn November 2005, Business Week reported that the FBI had issued tens of thousands of "National Security Letters" and had obtainedone million financial records from the customers of targeted Las Vegas businesses. Selected businesses included casinos, storage warehouses and car rental agencies. An anonymous Justice officialclaimed that such requests were permitted under section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act and despite the volume of requests insisted "We are not inclined to ask courts to endorse fishing expeditions". This didn't just include financial records, but credit records, employment records, and in some cases, health records.Public libraries have been asked to turn over their records for specific terminals. A few have filed suit, because the National Security Letters that they were presented with were very sweeping, demanding information not just on the individual under investigation, but on everyone who had used specific terminals atthe libraries during given time windows.

Wrongful accusations under the ActIn May 2004, Professor Steve Kurtz of the University at Buffalo reported his wife's death of heart failure. The associateart professor, who works in the biotechnology sector, was using benign bacterial cultures and biological equipment in his work. Police arriving at the scene found the equipment (which had been displayed in museums and galleries throughout Europe and North America) suspicious and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The next day the FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Force, Department of Homeland Security and numerous other law enforcement agencies arrived in HAZMAT gear and cordoned off the block surrounding Kurtz's house, impounding computers, manuscripts, books, and equipment… Although it was determined that nothing in the Kurtz's home posed any health or safety risk,the Justice Department sought charges under Section 175 of the USBiological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act—a law which was expanded bythe USA PATRIOT Act.

Handout: Historical Figure

You will be responsible for preparing yourself, with the help of your reporter, for questions coming from the opposition to make you look bad. You will also be asked question from your public relations agent to make you look good. You need to ensure that you are clear on your position and can defend it with evidence.

1. What is your position on the PATRIOT Act?:

a. List 3-5 reasons why:

2. What are some things your public relations agent should askyou about so you can demonstrate why your position is best?

3. Who are your opponents? Imagine three ways they can attack your position and how you will respond:

Attack Response

1. __________________________________ _______________________________________

2. __________________________________ _______________________________________

3. __________________________________ ______________________________________

Handout: Public Relations Agent

You will be responsible for creating a 1-2 minute opening statement explaining why your perspective and your character is best.

1. What is your position on the US PATRIOT Act?

2. List 3-5 reasons why your perspective is most valid:

3. What specific qualities about your historical character give him or her the most credibility? How do they contribute to making a more valid point?

With your responses from above, create your opening statement:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Handout: Reporter

You are responsible for creating questions of your opponents, as well as of your owncharacter. You will need to work with your figure to create questions you both think should be asked to promote your perspective. You will need to read the short bio onyour opponents in order to create revealing questions for them.

1. What is our historical figure’s role? What are the top three best arguments to support this position? Write three questions to reveal these:

a.

b.

c.

2 What is your opponent’s views? How will they justify these? Write three questions to ask that will reveal holes in their arguments:

a.

b.

c.

Handout: Artist

You will be creating an image on a poster to represent your perspective. Include at

least 3 of the following concepts: (The PATRIOT Act, George Bush, Terrorism,

Surveillance, the United States Constitution).

1. What 3-5 key ideas from your article? What could be visual

representation of each idea?

Idea Symbol (how is it portrayed in

poster?)

_______________________________-

__________________________________

_______________________________-

__________________________________

_______________________________-

__________________________________

2. Prepare your presentation, how does each symbol support

your perspective? Why is each symbol important (this will be

written on the back of your display)?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

_____________________________

Handout: Data Retrieval Chart for Artist to complete during

Conference

Name of

Historical Figure

Position on

Patriot Act

(supports or opposes)

Reasons for

Position

George W. Bush 1.

2.

3.

Nathan Sales 1.

2.

3.

Jim Sensenbrenner 1.

2.

3.

Rasheed Ahmed 1.

2.

3.

Susan Lindauer 1.

2.

3.

Debrief Script

To be used by the instructor after the hearing. First, allow students to discuss issues

that came up in the hearing not in this script, then question from this script.

1. What are the positive outcomes of the PA?

a. More than 30 terrorist plots have been stopped since

the PA. (Students can provide examples from their

handouts).

i. Makes America safer.

2. What are the negative outcomes of the PA?

a. Racial profiling

b. Mass security breaches

c. Invasion of many private, innocent citizen’s privacy

i. Illegal collection of evidence against citizens

3. Does the PA work?

a. Yes—

i. it has protected us against many planned attacks,

it is doing its job.

b. No—

i. We still have attacks, like Boston Marathon, which

we were warned about, but because the PA is so

inefficient, we couldn’t stop it.

ii. It is causing more harm than it is helping with

all of the illegal searches.

4. Let’s stipulate that we will keep it for some length of

time, for how long should we maintain the provisions made by

the PA?

a. As long as there is a threat from terrorists, so as

soon as we are done in the Middle East.

i. Will that ever happen?

b. Forever, there will always be a threat

i. Will there be a time when the provision need to

change? Change at the rate that communication

mediums change? Consideration for staying ahead of

curve.

c. As soon as possible, it is invading our privacy

i. What about the attacks it has stopped?

d. We should shrink it over time and make it more focused;

more useful.

5. Does the PATRIOT Act violate the Constitution?

a. Fourth Amendment: Unreasonable search and seizure

b. First: freedom of speech?

i. Is anyone really stopping you from saying what you

want?

c. It may violate the Constitution, but the Constitution

is made to protect its citizens, and the PA is doing

that, so it has the same goals, so it is permissible.

6. Let’s stipulate that it does, are they justified?

a. Yes—the benefits outweigh the harm done.

b. No—it is never OK to violate the Constitution, even the

man who wrote the PA says so.

7. When would the government be justified in violating

citizens’ rights?

a. Consider suspension of habeas corpus, was that

justified?

b. Was forced integration justified?

i. Right to property

c. Grabber example, are those actions made by authorities

justified?

Handout: Instructions and model for Letter to the

Editor:

• Your letter will be a response to the article you read to

prepare for your press conference.

• 150-300 words (approximately 1 hand-written page)

• Starts with, “Dear Editor, “

• State the article you are responding to (1)

• State your position (2)

• Provide evidence to support your position (use information

from press conference) (3)

• Say what should be done (4)

• One sentence summary/concluding statement reiterating your

position (5)

• Name, City, State

Model:

Dear Editor,

(1) I am writing in response to your October article, “Kill Obamacare, or U.S. healthcare will suffer same fate as Britain.” (2) The author, Dan Hannan, depicts a one-sided view of Obamacare, and erroneously projects England’s negligence issues in their NHS onto Obamacare. (3)Hannan’s language of the needless deaths of babies and elderly

hospital patients suffering in their beds as a result of rationalized healthcare are extreme examples and nothing more than scare tactics and a slippery slope fallacy. What Hannan fails to realize is that without affordable healthcare for allAmericans, even more people would be dying needlessly. Furthermore, Obamacare is written in a way that simply gives more affordable choices to our citizens. Hannan even says that “Obamacare is not a precise copy of the British system.” And the British system is not even to be faulted, as he pointsout that most physicians are in support of it. Hannan’s pointthat the Republican alternative is better because it provides competition is another poor argument. Healthcare is somethingthat all people should have affordable access to. Creating a system that encourages competition will perpetuate a society where many are left without care. (4) Instead, we should continue to elect representatives and senators who will support Obamacare, as well as ensure that the program continues to efficiently meet its goals of providing affordable healthcare to all Americans. (5) The argument that Obamacare will create a healthcare system worse than whatwe already have is faulty on many levels, and ensuring that wecontinue to support those who seek to improve our systems is vital to our nation’s welfare.

Emily Gray, Auburn, AL

Handout: Instructions and model for Political

Cartoon:

• Your cartoon will be a response to the article you read to

prepare for your press conference. You will either be

supporting a perspective or criticizing it– your choice.

• Make sure your position on the article is made clear.

• Must take up one full page of regular paper

• At least one person, idea, and event from the article must

be included.

• Include a title, and one sentence explanation.

• On the back, cite which article you are responding to, and

what people, ideas, and events are included.

Model:

Title: “Healthcare in Crisis”

Caption: The rationing of healthcare means seniors getting less

care.