The Center for Teaching the Rule of Law |
Rule of Law Case Studies
These case studies, based on real court decisions and statutes, are designed to help you understand how your civil rights - the rights guaranteed to everyone under the Constitution and Statutes of the United States and the individual states - are interpreted and applied by the courts in situations involving America's youth. We are often told that our civil rights are "inalienable," which means that they cannot taken away or surrendered -- but this is not precisely true.
First, all individual rights are subject to limitations based on the rights we share collectively as a society. May of the cases below demonstrate this principle by limiting the rights of individual students while in school in order to preserve the rights of all students to have a safe and productive learning environment.
Second, we can surrender our rights if we fail to abide by the laws that protect all of society. Once we surrender our rights by committing a criminal act, it can often be difficult to regain those rights. We can also surrender our rights simply by being uniformed about what those rights are - or by not defending our rights when they are unfairly restricted or taken away.
On the next page, begin your exploration of your civil liberties.
First, all individual rights are subject to limitations based on the rights we share collectively as a society. May of the cases below demonstrate this principle by limiting the rights of individual students while in school in order to preserve the rights of all students to have a safe and productive learning environment.
Second, we can surrender our rights if we fail to abide by the laws that protect all of society. Once we surrender our rights by committing a criminal act, it can often be difficult to regain those rights. We can also surrender our rights simply by being uniformed about what those rights are - or by not defending our rights when they are unfairly restricted or taken away.
On the next page, begin your exploration of your civil liberties.