Research Links and Critical Thinking Questions for September 2020 Topics

Aug 6, 2020 | Ideas For Teachers

Research Links

Issue 1: Confederate Statues
Congress.gov: H.R.7573 – Confederate Statues Bill
Govtrack.us: H.R.7573 – Confederate Statues Bill
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Remarks H.R. 7573 Press Conference
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) Statement on Confederate Statue Bill
Harvard Gazette: “Must we allow symbols of racism on public land?”
The Federalist: “Why We Should Keep Confederate Monuments Right Where They Are”

Issue 2: DACA Dreamers
SupremeCourt.gov: Supreme Court’s June 18, 2020 Ruling on DACA Decision
NILC.org: “Supreme Court Overturns Trump Administration’s Termination of DACA”
Worcester.edu: “DACA Infographics & Resources for Educators”
Fox News: “Trump Administration Halts New DACA Applications”
USA Today: “Trump to Extend DACA Protections, Reject New Applications”
ProCon.org: “Are DACA and the DREAM Act Good for America?”

Critical-Thinking Questions

Issue 1: Confederate Statues

  1. What role do statues or monuments play in society?
  2. Should confederate statues be taken down? Why or why not? Justify and defend your answer with examples and reasoning.
  3. If confederate statues were all removed, would that address racial inequality in the United States?
  4. Regardless of whether these statues are removed or remain, what sort of statues, memorials, or other art would you like to see in public spaces? Explain your answers.
  5. Do the statues represent or misrepresent the country’s history? How so?

Issue 2: DACA Dreamers

  1. What do you think Congress should do to address the legal status of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children?
  2. What is the most convincing argument to continue with DACA? What is the most compelling reason to end a program like DACA?
  3. Should the president have the power to enact a program like DACA if Congress refuses to pass legislation on the issue? Why or why not?
  4. How might ending the DACA program affect communities around the country?
  5.  What solutions might students offer legislators when considering the futures of young people brought to the country as children?
  6. How does the Constitution address immigration? Is there a way to clarify Constitutional treatment of immigration?