Majorities Rule!
by
Fran O'Malley
The Democracy Project
Abstract
In this lesson students will be randomly assigned to one
of two groups (majority or minority) and will debate and vote
on a series of bills that are fundamentally unfair in that
they favor the majority and are detrimental to the minority.
After "feeling" the impact of discrimination the
students will discuss protections that are accorded to minorities
in the American political system and how those protections
might be applied.
Targeted Audience: Grades 6-8
Benchmark Addressed: Civics 2 [Politics]
"Understand hat the concept of majority rule does not
mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and
will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities
in the American political system."
Materials Needed:
- Transparency (or copies) of the proposals found below.
- Paper badges with the terms "Majors" and "Minors"
to be worn by minority and majority groups. (Optional)
- Tape
Procedures:
1. Divide the class into two groups - the "Majs"
and the "Mins." Randomly assign 75% of the students
in class to the "Majs" group and the remaining 25%
to the "Mins" group. Give those assigned to the
Majs one color paper badges (e.g. red) with the term "Majs"
written on them and those assigned to the Mins group different
colored paper badges (e.g. blue) with the term "Mins"
written on them. Ask the students to tape the badges to their
shirts.
2. Tell the students that they will be engaging in a debate
today during which they will be asked to argue and vote for
or against a series of proposals. Tell the students that they
should argue and vote for those proposals that appear likely
to benefit their group.
3. Present the students with Proposal 1. Have them debate
and vote on the proposal. Be sure to explain to the student
that the outcome of the voting will be based on the principle
of majority rule. Repeat this procedure for each proposal
until the students have had a chance to vote on all of the
proposals.
Extension Activities:
- Allow the students in the Majs group to create a proposal
of their own that creates benefits for themselves. At the
same time, let the Mins group piece together a proposal that
creates a protection against the kinds of discriminatory acts
that are embedded within Proposals A and B.
- After the lesson conduct a moot court (Teaching
Strategies) in which a student from the majs group sues
to have Proposal A or B "overturned."
Debriefing Questions:
- How did it feel to be part of each group?
- What was the difference between the Majs and the Mins?
What might the terms be abbreviations for?
- What is the difference between majority and minority?
- What is the meaning of the term majority rule?
- Does the principle of majority rule as it is relates to
the American political system imply that the will of the majority
must always guide public policy? Should it?
- Which, if any of the proposals discussed today, were fair?
Which, if any of the proposal were unfair or discriminatory?
Explain why.
- What are some of the protections that minorities are accorded
in the American political system to safeguard their rights
and insure equal justice? (e.g. propose and lobby for passage
of bills that protect the interests of minorities, sue in
civil court, run for office and recruit other members of their
interest group to do the same etc.)
Transparency 1
Simulation Proposals
Proposal 1:
There are two high schools that students in this district
may attend. High School A is very prestigious. Students who
attend High School A tend to be accepted into good universities
and get high paying jobs. High School B has had little success
in getting students into colleges. Students who attend High
School B tend to earn less than two-thirds of what students
from High School A earn after graduating. Only half of the
students in this class will be accepted into High School A.
Students belonging to the Majs group must earn a 70 or above
to qualify for acceptance into High School A. Students in
the Mins group must earn an 85 or above to qualify for acceptance
into High School A. Students not meeting the requirements
will be assigned to High School B.
Proposal 2:
School administrators have identified a problem at school
that they are determined to solve. The problem is that students
are running out of classrooms when the lunch bell rings to
get to the cafeteria so that they can be first in the lunch
lines. This proposal attempts to solve that problem by requiring
all students to be seated in the cafeteria before being allowed
to get in the lunch line. Once students are seated, the students
in the Majs group will be given permission to get into the
lunch line. After all of the Majs have been served the Mins
will be permitted to get in line.
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