Texas Government

Critical Thinking

The State educational authority has declared that each community college
Government class will assess each student in several key educational
objectives.  This assignment is for Critical Thinking.


The assignment is to read the Fourteenth Amendment to the American
Constitution, and then answer two questions.

First--What is the main point and purpose of the Amendment?

Second--How did the language of Section 3 of the Amendment impact Texas?



Here is the text of the 14th Amendment from 1868--

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

 Section 2.

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a state, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such state, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such state.

 Section 3.

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

 Section 4.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

 Section 5.

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Communication

The College is implementing its Quality Enhancement Plan in the form of reading and writing skills.  Many classes other than English Composition classes are assigning essays to help students keep their skills fresh.  In all sections (all campuses, all instructors) of Government 2306, students are assigned an essay which is included in the final exam grade.  The essay assignment refers to the Texas Legislature’s unusual practice of having biennial legislative session.  The assignment itself reads—

Essay question:

Is the biennial session of the Texas Legislature a good policy?  Why/Why Not?

In addition to the textbook and lecture, students should find additional material to help draft good essays answering the question.  The following links lead to pages addressing the issues of state legislatures and biennial sessions.

http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legislatures/annual-versus-biennial-legislative-sessions.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/31/us/politics/31ttlegislature.html?_r=0

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/mar/16/legislature-needs-to-meet-annually/?print=1

The grading of the essay is based on criteria borrowed from English Composition classes:  thesis and topic sentences, paragraph and sentence construction, grammar and punctuation, logic and argument, and the use of sources with citations.  To see the actual grading rubric, click on the following link—Grading Rubric.

Personal Responsibility

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has declared Personal Responsibility a core learning objective and mandated that all colleges assess students on this objective. The SWTJC Governmen Department has assigned all government students an exercise to promote Personal Responsibility.

To earn credit, you will need to submit your answers to the following instruction. 
 
With short answer responses, answer the following questions about your performance in this course.  Type question and then your response. Be honest and detailed.
 

  1. Describe a specific topic you have explored in this course and include little-known information you have discovered to support you interest in the subject topic.
  2. Describe the ways that you have taken initiative this semester to complete course work and pursue opportunities to expand you knowledge, skills and abilities in this field. (Consider attendance, class participation, meeting deadlines, etc.)
  3. Describe connections you have made between your prior knowledge and what you have learned in this course.  How has this course helped you to understand the ideas in new or different ways?
  4. How has your learning inside and outside of the classroom changed your perspective about experiences you have in school and life in general?  In what ways do these changes show your own growth over time?


Each question must be a minimum of 200 word response. 

Social Responsibility

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has declared Social Responsibility a core learning objective and mandated that all colleges assess students on this objective. The SWTJC Govt. Dept. has assigned all government students an exercise to promote Social Responsibility. To earn credit, you will need to type or print answers to the following instruction.

  1. GO TO WEB SITE CHANGE.ORG
  2. LOCATE A PETITION(s) YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT AND THAT YOU FEEL SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
  3. RESEARCH ABOUT THE TOPIC OF CHOICE OR USE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE ATAINED VIA THIS GOVERNMENT COURSE. OR FROM YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
  4. SIGN THE PETITON
  5. THEN ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. 

In a short- essay, answer the following questions

  • How have your own attitudes and beliefs been influenced by participating in this service learning project? What did you learn about diversity from your research as well as from those you worked in the past on similar projects? Give specific examples.
  • How have you connected knowledge (facts, research, etc.) from your college coursework to this service learning project? Has your participation changed in any way the way you feel about certain issues. ? Give specific examples.
  • Describe what you learned about yourself in relation to a growing sense of civic identity and commitment. Give specific examples.
  • Do you think that somehow individuals of society benefitted or will benefit from your effort?