The Law Day Essay Contest and Law Day Luncheon are jointly sponsored by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation, its Center for Law-Related Education, and the Nebraska Supreme Court. Each year this day is set aside to celebrate and enjoy our freedoms. It focuses on our heritage of liberty under law and how the rule of law makes our democracy possible.
Invitations, as well as classroom resources, were sent to over 2,000 secondary teachers of Social Studies, English, and Business Law. The contest was open to all Nebraska students in grades 8-12.
The public was invited to attend the luncheon and program.
The 2011 question is as follows:
| 2011 Law Day Luncheon Monday, May 2, 2011 - 12:00 noon Nebr. School Activities Assoc. 500 Charleston Street Lincoln, Nebraska |
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2011 Law Day
Essay Contest Winners
8th Grade
9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade Makala Michka
Stuart Public Schools Addie Curley Marian High School (Omaha) Holly Green Northwest High School (Grand Island) Yan Jia Westside High School (Omaha) Erik Prieto Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools |
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Luncheon Picture Gallery
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Law Day Essay Contest and Luncheon
In its twelfth year, the Law Day Essay Contest, co-sponsored by the Bar Foundation and the Nebraska Supreme Court, continued to engage 8-12 grade students from across Nebraska. The question drew upon current events and the 2011 Nebraska Law Day theme, Democracy and the Digital Age of Media.Invitations, as well as classroom resources, were sent to over 2,000 secondary teachers of Social Studies, English, and Business Law. The contest was open to all Nebraska students in grades 8-12.
Winners from each grade level were recognized at a Law Day Luncheon in Lincoln in May 2. For the program, Professor Mike Fenner, Creighton School of Law, and Oakland, Nebraska, attorney Clarence Mock discussed the issue of protection from cyber-bulling vs. protection of First Amendment rights.
The public was invited to attend the luncheon and program.
The 2011 question is as follows:
A bill introduced in the Nebraska Unicameral this year defines cyber-bullying as: “Any ongoing use of electronic mail, text messaging, social networking websites, or any other form of electronic communication on or off school grounds, with the intention of causing harm or serious emotional distress to students or school personnel.”
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, in part: Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech… And Article I, Section 5 of the Nebraska Constitution reads:
Every person may freely speak, write and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty; and in all trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth when published with good motives, and for justifiable ends, shall be a sufficient defense.
QUESTION: Keeping in mind our Constitutional protections against government restricting our free speech, what should the Nebraska legislature do about cyber-bullying?
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, in part: Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech… And Article I, Section 5 of the Nebraska Constitution reads:
Every person may freely speak, write and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty; and in all trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth when published with good motives, and for justifiable ends, shall be a sufficient defense.
QUESTION: Keeping in mind our Constitutional protections against government restricting our free speech, what should the Nebraska legislature do about cyber-bullying?
