LCPS Trailside Middle School 8th Grade Civics Assignment “How George Floyd was killed in police custody” (video+assignment)

On 10/4/21, LCPS Trailside Middle School 8th grade Civics teacher, Jeb Dickerson, thought it would be a good idea to show his class how the police killed George Floyd. This video is void of the ENTIRE story and is a complete and utterly sick joke. When a parent called them out, the principal nor the teacher was cooperative with providing the video or assignment, and wanted to resolve by inviting parents to the school to discuss “questions or concerns”. The school admitted no guilt or remorse for showing a graphic video to a student.  When the principal was confronted, she felt “bullied” and indicated Mr. Dickerson realized it was a mistake. That’s BS, it was only a “mistake” because they got caught and called out. Below the video is the class assignment related to the video:

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted of the murder of George Floyd during an arrest on May 25, 2020. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; the first charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and is the longest Chauvin can be incarcerated for. It was the first conviction of a white officer in Minnesota for the murder of a black person. On June 25, 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the second-degree murder.

Questions

Please discuss the below questions with your table group, and then write your responses in your journals.

• Why were police were called about George Floyd?
• Who was Derek Chauvin?
• How did George Floyd die?
• What was Derek Chauvin charged with, and what was he convicted of?
• What was Chauvin’s punishment?
• Is this an example of the Rule Of Law properly functioning in the US? Or not functioning properly? Explain..

Additional assignments in Jeb Dickerson’s Civic classes (unrelated to George Floyd video)

Donald Trump:

Donald Trump was actually impeached twice during his 4 years as President (the only president to ever be impeached twice). However, while the House of Representatives is responsible for Impeachment, the Senate is responsible for Trying Impeachments (that is, deciding if the President is guilty of the alleged charges), and the senate did not find Trump guilty.

Questions

Please discuss the below questions with your table group, and then write your answers in your journals.

• What does it mean to ‘Impeach a President’?
• Why was President Trump impeached?
• Was President Trump removed from office through the impeachment process?
• Do you feel as though Trump received an appropriate consequence? 
• What do you think would have happened to you if you were charged with inciting violence against our country?
• Is this an example of the Rule Of Law properly functioning in the US? Or not functioning properly? Explain.

Republicanism:

Many lawsuits have been filed (some lost, some won) against the practice of Gerrymandering. Opponents believe this practice is simply manipulation that distorts the democratic process because it disenfranchises people.

Questions

Please discuss the below questions with your table group, and then write your responses in your journals.

• In your own words, explain what Gerrymandering is.
• Who does Gerrymandering benefit?
• Is Gerrymandering an example of Republicanism at work the way it was intended? Or does it make it hard to elect the representatives we want, and hard to make sure they truly represent our interests?