2011 Equal Justice Under Law
A constitutional issues and public policy program
for Illinois High School Students.

Violent Video Games

Program Overview
Equal Justice Under Law is designed to enhance students' understanding of a recently decided U.S. Supreme Court case and related public policy questions. In their classes, students examine case facts, review the constitutional issue, consider the arguments they find persuasive, and analyze a related law or public policy using CRFC developed curriculum materials. CRFC conducts a conference in Chicago where students come together to deliberate the constitutional issue and discuss policy applications with peers from a variety of school settings. Topics have included school drug testing, the juvenile death penalty, and physician-assisted suicide. The program occurs in the fall semester.

Featured Case
Equal Justice Under Law will feature the case, Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, a case involving a California law that was designed to prevent minors from being able to rent or purchase violent video games. After the law was passed, associations of companies that create, publish, distribute, sell, and rent video games sued the State of California asking that the law be declared unconstitutional because it violated the First Amendment right of free expression.

Program Highlights

Student Training and Teacher Workshop
Selected students from participating teachers' classes receive training for their role as discussion facilitator and coordinator in preparation for the student-led conference in Chicago (November 18). A legal resource person shares additional insights on the law, case, and/or policy with both students and their teachers. Teachers receive additional classroom ready materials developed by the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago.

Class Preparation at Participating Schools
Students examine the constitutional issue, review those arguments they find persuasive, and analyze the related law or public policy question using CRFC developed curriculum materials. Students conduct a Public Policy Poll at the school. Results are posted on the CRFC website.

Equal Justice Under Law Student Conference
Students attend the Equal Justice Under Law Student Conference in Chicago (December 9). At the student-led conference, they deliberate the constitutional issue and discuss the related policy questions with peers, legal experts, and policymakers. Following the conference, students offer their perspectives in op-ed pieces, letters to legislators, and/or position papers.