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Extra!: Constitution Day

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(CNN Student News) -- September 15, 2006

September 17, 2006 marks the 219th birthday of our government. On this date in 1787, 39 men changed the course of history by signing the U.S. Constitution. But this document is not just some relic of the olden days -- it continues to guide the way we live our lives. Each time there is a case that addresses the roles of the U.S. government or the rights of its people, the courts interpret the words written in U.S. Constitution to make their decisions. This CNN Student News Extra! takes a look at how the U.S. Constitution is called upon for guidance when tackling modern-day issues.

Immigration

One of the constitutional issues that you've heard a lot about in the news lately is immigration, or the process of coming into the U.S.

Immigrants come to the U.S. for a variety of reasons: Some want to escape political or religious persecution; some come to the U.S. to work; others come here for an education. Some immigrants enter the U.S. through legal means, with the paperwork that the U.S. government requires. Others enter illegally.

The main difference between an immigrant and a U.S. citizen is that a citizen can vote and hold office. But an immigrant can become a citizen through a process called naturalization.

Who decides what rights immigrants have and what laws restrict immigration? That's up to Congress. This past spring and summer, there was much debate in Congress over immigration, and there were many demonstrations around the U.S. on both sides of the issue.

U.S. Constitution Connection:

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution defines citizenship?

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, defines U.S. citizens as "all persons born or naturalized in the United States."

High School Drug Testing

Whether you play high school football or cheer on your high school team, you may be interested in knowing that on June 7, 2006, the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association unanimously approved a policy to randomly test high school athletes for steroid use.

Do schools have the right to test their students for drug use? What rights, if any, do students have when it comes to drug testing?

U.S. Constitution Connection:

What part of the U.S. Constitution protects Americans from "unreasonable searches and seizures"?

Amendment IV of the U.S. Constitution requires that the government have "probable cause" to conduct a search of someone's "person, house, papers or effects." However, in 1985, the Supreme Court ruled that public school officials do not need probable cause to search students. Other courts have ruled that schools can test student athletes for drug use, even if they are not suspected of wrongdoing.

Primary Elections

In November, all 435 seats in the House of Representative and 33 seats in the Senate are up for election. To decide who will be running, states hold primary elections. That means the candidates who want to run for the same office from one party face off against each other months before the November general election.

Can just anyone run for the House or Senate? No. To run for the U.S. House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old, be a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state he or she will represent. To run for the Senate, a person must be at least 30 years old, be a citizen for at least nine years, and live in the state he or she will represent.

This season's primaries for the House and Senate have resulted in a few surprises: In Connecticut, Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman, who has served three terms (that's 18 years), lost his primary election in August. He says he will now run as an Independent.

U.S. Constitution Connection:

Which part of the U.S. Constitution tells us the qualifications for members of the House of Representatives and the Senate?

Article I. It also tells us how long the terms are for each office and its duties.

Race-based public schools

When the Supreme Court begins its session in October 2006, one of the cases it will hear deals with programs in Louisville, Kentucky and Seattle, Washington that assign children to public schools based on race. Officials in those cities adopted the plans because they want the student bodies of their public schools to reflect their cities' ethnic compositions. In both cases, students may not be allowed to attend their preferred public schools because of their race.

Federal courts have supported the plans, but the Bush administration argues that race-based school assignments violate the Constitution.

Should local and state officials enact policies to achieve ethnic diversity in public schools? Are students who are denied admissions to their preferred schools facing unreasonable discrimination?

U.S. Constitution Connection:

What part of the U.S. Constitution says that the states must protect their citizens equally under the law?

The "Equal Protection Clause" of the Fourteenth Amendment says that no state may deny to any person "equal protection of the laws." If a law treats people differently, the state must demonstrate a good reason for that difference.

Sources: CNN.com, The Constitution Center, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association

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