Texas Bill of Rights Assignment[1]

Guidelines & Requirements

Instructions

Go to this website to read the Texas Constitution’s Bill of Rights – yes, that whole website is the Bill of Rights. For this assignment, based upon what you have learned about Texas politics and about Texas government so far, you’re going to come up with one additional right that you think should be added to our State Constitution’s Bill of Rights; OR, you can come up with one right currently in our State Constitution’s Bill of Rights that you think should be removed. Then, you’ll identify sources to help you support the idea that this is addition/removal will benefit Texans and what the consequences might be if this were implemented.

 Tip: After reading the questions in the Word document about finding sources, if you are not quite sure what you might want to look for, here are just a few possible ideas:

  • Your source might have a survey showing that Texans are concerned about this topic.
  • Your source might have a case study or interview showing how something has been a problem in the past.
  • Your source might show that another state did something similar with positive results.
  • Your source might show that a new technology or way of thinking has changed how people feel about a topic.

Of course, these are just a few examples to help get your brain going! Be creative!

Tip: Most national news outlets don’t cover much about state politics because they’re trying to appeal to viewers/readers all over the country and not just people in Texas, so it’s often easier to find a news article about Texas politics from state or local news outlets. Here are a few you can look through if you’re not familiar with any state or local news outlets:

After you have given this some thought, type your answer to each of the following questions below, and then save your document to upload it in Canvas. Your answers will be graded for completeness and accuracy. Please be as detailed in your responses as you can be, and double-check that you have fully answered each question.

Assignment

  1. Provide the EXACT wording of the right that you think should be added to or removed from the Texas Constitution’s Bill of Rights, and then explain why this addition/removal is important to you. (20 points):
  2. Find one news article from a reputable news source (newspaper, magazine, or other reputable news outlet) that helps support your idea that this right should be added or removed.
    1. First, provide a working link to your news article, as well as the title, author, name of news outlet, and date of publication of the article.
      Answer here (4 points):
    2. Second, summarize the article by clearly stating the main point, as well as identifying some of the specific details supporting that main point in the article.
      Answer here (8 points):
    3. Finally, how does the information in this source help you show that this change would benefit Texans? Make sure you use specific details to support your response.
      Answer here (8 points).
  3. Find a second news article from a reputable news source (newspaper, magazine, or other reputable news outlet) that helps support your idea that this right should be added or removed.
    1. First, provide a working link to your news article, as well as the title, author, name of news outlet, and date of publication of the article. (4 points):
    2. Second, summarize the article by clearly stating the main point, as well as identifying some of the specific details supporting that main point in the article. (8 points)
    3. Finally, how does the information in this source help you show that this change would benefit Texans? Make sure you use specific details to support your response.
      (8 points).
  4. What do you think the consequences (positive or negative) would be if your proposal to add/remove a right from our State Constitution were actually done and implemented? Explain, providing as much detail and specific information as possible.
    (20 points)

 

  1. Writing style: format, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other writing style flaws should be minimized. This component of the paper is worth up to 10 points.

 

  1. On Friday, September 30, 2022, during class, we will have the Texas Bill of Rights Forum. This is why you need to bring a printed copy of your paper to class that day. The Forum will be a combination of a group activity and whole class activity. Showing up to class on this day with a printed copy of your paper is worth 5 points; participation in the class activities will also be worth up to 5 points. So, this component is worth up to 10 points.

 

  1. The Texas Bill of Rights paper is due at the BEGINNING (9:00 a.m.) of Class in printed copy and on Canvas on Friday, September 30, 2022. Late papers will be accepted on Canvas through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, October 6, 2022. After that no papers will be accepted, and the grade will be 0.

The Texas Bill of Rights Assignment is worth up to 100 points toward your final course grade.

Format

  1. The assignment must be submitted as a Word document (.docx or .doc). If you use a word processor other than Microsoft Word, most have the ability to save the document as a Word document. Canvas will only accept Word documents.
  2. The final paper must be submitted through the Assignment link in Canvas in the Texas Bill of Rights Assignment Module on the modules page in Canvas. A printed copy is also required to brought to class Friday, 2022. The printed copy is due at the BEGINNING of class, and the document must be submitted on Canvas by 9:00 a.m. on that Friday. Failure to bring a printed copy to class and/or a late submission will be penalized. Late submissions on Canvas will only be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, , 2022. You are bringing a printed copy of your paper to class, because we will be using it during class.
  3. The printed copy of the paper should be stapled in the upper-left-hand corner PRIOR to class. Please do not put it in a folder or cover. Unstapled papers will be penalized.
  4. Use the standard MLA heading in the upper left-hand corner. Then start with #1 at the left margin. Each section of the paper can be single-spaced, but double-space between each section. See the example in the Texas Bill of Rights Assignment Module on the modules page in Canvas.

You are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last minute to do this assignment. In fact, on Thursday or Friday the first week of class, we may take some class time to hear what right you’re thinking of adding or removing. Hopefully that will help motivate you to get started on this assignment.

Finding the two news sources will be the time-consuming part of the assignment. Carefully the directions for each question and answer them fully and completely. Please do more than “just enough to get by” or the minimum. Write at the college level. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other writing style errors will be penalized.

If you run into trouble or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am willing to assist or help guide you.

[1] Cartwright, Tiffany, Student Assignment on Texas State Constitution, Published April 28, 2022, Accessed July 5, 2022