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2006 ILLINOIS YOUTH SUMMIT ISSUES


I. Equity in Public Education Funding ,
II. Voting Rights for Ex-Felons ,
III. Detaining U.S. Citizens as Enemy Combatants .



I. Equity in Public Education Funding

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the U.S. Supreme Court said "it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms."

However, the Court later held in San Antonio v. Rodriguez (1973) that education is not considered a "fundamental right" protected by the federal constitution. Instead, education is a responsibility of the state governments, who also have the primary responsibility for funding it. As one result, the quality of public education, and level of funding for public education, varies widely even within a state.

The Summit explores the question of equity in public education funding for K-12 students. It provides a historical context for public education in America, how equality of education has been understood, and the ways in which states have been permitted to fund it.






II. Voting Rights for Ex-Felons

In the United States, the right to vote may not be abridged or denied by a state or the federal government because of race, sex, or failure to pay a poll [or head] tax. However, under the Fourteenth Amendment, states can deny the right to vote to individuals guilty of "participation in rebellion, or other crime." Nationally, more than four million Americans are denied the right to vote as a result of laws that prohibit voting by felons or ex-felons. Except in Maine and Vermont, prisoners cannot vote, and in 36 states felons on probation or parole are denied the vote. In 11 states, a felony conviction can result in a lifetime ban long after the completion of a sentence.

While each state has developed its own process of restoring voting rights to ex-offenders, these processes are often so cumbersome that few ex-offenders are able to take advantage of them. Under current law, the federal government may not infringe upon a state's authority to grant or rescind voting rights to prison inmates and former felons.

The Summit presents positions and arguments on whether ex-felons should be permitted to vote. It provides background on the right to vote in the United States and the history of denying that right to felons and ex-felons.





III. Detaining U.S. Citizens as Enemy Combatants

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 by al Qaeda, the United States captured hundreds of persons and designated them "enemy combatants." Under this policy, the President determines who is an enemy combatant and places them in military detention without charges or access to an attorney. Most enemy combatants were captured in Afghanistan and are not American citizens. However, in 2002, U.S. citizen Jose Padilla was detained at O'Hare International Airport and was subsequently designated by the President as an enemy combatant. Padilla allegedly plotted to detonate a "dirty" nuclear bomb. Recently, Padilla's status was changed without explanation, and he now faces federal felony charges.

The Summit gives an overview of some of the issues relating to enemy combatants. It reviews some of the powers of Presidents during wartime, the rights of citizens here in the United States, and the ways the U.S. Supreme Court has tried to balance individual freedoms with national defense.





Last updated: February 10, 2006

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