Meritocracy
Overview
Is America a Meritocracy? What is the American Dream? Is it achievable by all? Is the deck stacked against low-income families? Should America be a meritocracy? Should the rules be changed, how?
Agenda
Day 1-Jan 26
Introductions
Name-Why did you choose this IBG?
Big questions
The American Dream Sells, Is the American Dream Alive?, The American Dream Needs Rebuilding
Share your thoughts in small groups
Share points of agreement, disagreement, and questions in whole group
Basics of Meritocracy
Research these topics in groups in the context of America as a meritocracy-
American Dream-Katie, Jake, Cody, Emma
Income Inequality-Lily, Cody, Gabe,
Taxes-
Colin, Andy Education-Lauren, Jaden, Eli, Keith
Race and Wealth
Unions
Income Mobility
Educational five minute presentation-include definitions, statistics, and ideologies. Use bullets, images, and multimedia.
East lab
Day 2-Feb 2
Basics of Meritocracy presentations
American Dream, Income Inequality, Taxes (income, capital gains, estate, sales, corporate) Education, Race and Wealth, Unions, Income Mobility. Educational five minute presentation-include definitions, statistics, and ideologies
Day 3-Feb 5
Debate Prep
Choose Roles (see below)
Research in West Lab
Congress sets rules at end of class
Day 4-Feb 9
Debate
Congress delivers ground rules and format (3 minutes)
Opening Statements (3 minutes each)
Open answer session to congress' questions (20 minutes)
Closing statements (2 minutes each)
Congress' decision (2 minutes)
Debate
Questions
Is America a Meritocracy? What is the American Dream? Is it achievable by all? Is the deck stacked against low-income families? Should America be a meritocracy? Should the rules be changed, how?
Roles
Congress-creates legislation informed by debate
Capitalists-believe the open market should decide winners and losers
Education Researchers-public school system enables individuals to achieve American Dream, but needs to be changed
Job Creators-Our current system provides plenty of opportunity for all
Taxes for a Fair Economy-our tax system rewards people with money
NAACP-our current system systematically punishes racial minorities
Sociologists of America-Income inequality and lack of inter-generational is evidence change is needed
Resources
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidmarotta/2014/06/01/fourteen-ways-to-avoid-paying-capital-gains/
https://iusbvision.wordpress.com/six-reasons-why-the-capital-gains-tax-should-be-abolished/
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-wealth-gap-between-whites-and-minorities-is-growing/
http://www.aei.org/publication/capital-gains-tax-an-argument-for-repeal/