Children protesting: duty or danger?
disperse | catalyze | segregation | reform | injustice
Embedded Files
Do the Math
Do the Math
Children who protested segregation and racial injustice at the 1963 Children’s Crusade were met with fire hoses and police dogs. In recent years, government programs have supplied local police departments with military equipment from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The police in Ferguson, Missouri, used stun grenades and armored vehicles to disperse crowds of protesters. Many people have called for reform, saying that police officers should be trained to oversee nonviolent protests without excess force or military equipment. They point out that most protests are nonviolent and that military equipment could catalyze the use of excess force when dealing with civilians. Others believe that, since large protests could become violent, police need to be prepared for anything.
Option 1:
Option 1:
As of 2020, the Department of Defense has distributed over $7 billion in excess military equipment to local police departments. What is another way to write 7 billion?
A. 7,000 x 1,000,000
B. 7,000,000,000,000
C. 7 x 108
D. 700 x 105
Option 2:
Option 2:
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) Project analyzed data from more than 10,600 protests between May and August 2020. These protests took place in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Of these protests, about 95% were not connected to any violence or destructive activities. Approximately how many of the 10,600 protests were nonviolent?
Discussion Question:
Discussion Question:
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” Many key events in United States history—from the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement—were catalyzed by public protests against injustice. But participating in a protest involves an element of risk, since police may attempt to disperse crowds, and protests can sometimes turn violent. This risk has increased as police departments become more militarized. Still, protest remains an important vehicle for children and adults to stand up for their beliefs. What do you think? Are some protests safer than others? Can parents keep their children safe if they protest with them?
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