SSP-100 (029) Law, Religion, and Society

Chris Kopec, Visiting Assistant Professor of Management & Business

Do public school students have to pray before an athletic competition because the coach wants them to? Conversely, can those students start a public school Bible Study group? Does a Muslim woman have any recourse if her civil lawsuit is dismissed by a judge because she is wearing a headscarf that obscures most of her face? Can the Ten Commandments be posted on the walls of public buildings? Questions such as these have been faced by the courts, and the culture, since the founding of our republic. Students in this seminar explore the place of religion in our society as it has been addressed, shaped, and interpreted by the courts, the Constitution, and the American people. Students themselves will address these issues as they actively engage in discussion and writing, conduct a mock trial, participate in debates, compose legal briefs and craft trial strategies.