Cabrillo College Claudia Close Ethics – Philosophy 10 Spring 2014

Case Study #3: Aristotle & Chris Christie Read the section on Aristotle in our text and the attached articles from Washington Post, US News and the Bloomberg News, then answer the following questions. The completed assignment should be two pages long, using 12 pt. fonts and single spacing with one inch margins. Each answer should be proportionate to the number of points possible and supporting quotes should be no longer than one or two short sentences. Quotes must be cited and if pulled from our text all you need do is indicate the page – if not from our text, a full citation is required. Please separate and number each response as shown in the example attached. This study is worth a total of 60 points. Your completed assignment is due on the 7th of May.

Keep scrolling down after the background for further instructions, general suggestions, grading rubrics, and a sample completed

assignment!

1. Paraphrase the argument made by Jaime Fuller in the first attached article how these scandals are likely to impact Christie’s run for the presidency. (5 points)

2. Fact-finding & Background Research: Prior to determining whether these events ought to morally impact one’s decision to vote for Christie as President, what facts do you need to know about his case? Note that these should include questions regarding the scandals, previous presidential scandals, and/or Christie’s history but not questions about Aristotle. Provide as a bulleted list and pose in question form. For this assignment, you do not have to do the research but you need to raise the kind of questions that would drive such a project. These should be research questions and as such should be concrete and answerable. No bias or prejudice should be evident and the questions should be non-normative. Think about facts that, if known might help determine how one should or could respond to the case. (15 points)

3. Pending the acquisition of this information, would Aristotle regard these scandals as morally relevant in evaluating Christie’s candidacy for President? Be sure to provide citations from Aristotle (primary source =Aristotle’s writings and does not include secondary commentary from Rosenstand or from me) to support your answer. In citing the quote, all you need do is indicate the page from the text (see example). Note that this question carries the highest weight in points. (20 points)

4. Identify some key counter considerations or objections to the argument you’ve made in section 3. This can include not only existing practical conditions that might prevent one from following up on those recommendations made in section 3 above, but also the cost or potential negative impact if one acted on those conclusions. Provide as a bulleted list. (10 points)

5. Reply to the counter-considerations/objections identified in #4. There should be no repetition of arguments previously made in section 3. Provide as a bulleted list. (10 points)

Background1: Case Study #3

Everything you need to know about the Chris Christie investigations

2

BY JAIME FULLER

January 22 at 3:51 pm

With the New Jersey scandal count already at two for 2014, and with the number of

investigations poking at said scandals increasing by the day, it's hard to keep track of all

the variables -- and what each of the many key players stand to gain and lose based on

the outcome. Here's an explainer on the many moving parts of Chris Christie's very sad

scandals.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

delivers his inaugural address

after being sworn in for his

second term on January 21,

2014 at the War Memorial in

Trenton, New Jersey. (Photo by

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Bridgegate

T H E B AS I C S

Last September, the Port

Authority announced a

traffic study would shut

down two lanes of the

George Washington

bridge. Massive traffic

jams ensued in Fort Lee, the town connected to New York City via the bridge. Reporting

1 Please note that you are not limited to the background offered. It is expected that you will do a bit more in-depth reading to develop your thesis. You may feel free to use any credible/reliable source as evidence for your arguments. Additionally you may use additional material from Mill to defend your answers. Please provide full citation for all research. 2 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/01/22/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-chris-christie-investigations/

by The Wall Street Journaland the Bergen Record revealed that the traffic delays might

have had a somewhat more sinister origin. Fort Lee’s mayor, Democrat Mark Sokolich,

failed to endorse Christie prior to November’s gubernatorial election. Christie still won

by 22 percent, but his deputy chief of staff Bridget Kelly still thought it wise to email

Port Authority and tell them it was "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” It's not

clear what the lane closures were payback for but judging from Kelly's tone they were

payback for something. T H E N U M B E R O F I N V E S T I G A T I O N S

Two, with an option for a third. Paul Fishman, the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey is

looking into the matter, and a state Assembly commission has already issued 20

subpoenas. Yesterday, the separate state Senate and Assembly groups joined forces. T H E K E Y P L A Y E R S

Mark Sokolich: The mayor of Fort Lee, who bore the brunt of many of the released

emails and texts. When Christie said he was going to visit Sokolich to apologize, the

mayor told Christie, using CNN as a conduit, "Call the folks that had to deal with traffic

Armageddon that week. Don't call me." After Christie insisted on apologizing anyway, he

said, "When I was also speaking to you folks while the governor was conducting his

press conference, I had indicated that, you know, maybe it wouldn't be productive (for

him) to come up now, and I explained to the governor that wasn't to be disrespectful. It

was just to -- wouldn't it make more sense to do this once the investigation was

concluded? The governor respectfully insisted, and we certainly would welcome any

governor, and especially our governor .... with open arms, as we did."

Port Authority: The agency responsible for the traffic jam, which happens to be filled

with spoils-system appointees of the Christie administration. Elizabeth Kolbert sums up

the history between New Jersey’s governor and Port Authority: “As soon as Christie took

office, in 2010, he set about staffing the agency with his supporters. A lawsuit filed by a

former employee revealed that within two years the new administration had sought

berths at the Port Authority for nearly fifty loyalists. These included Wildstein, who

attended high school with Christie, in Livingston, and was hired as the agency’s

interstate-capital-projects director, at a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year.

(Wildstein resigned last month.) The patronage push made front-page news in the

Bergen Record in early 2012, a development that should have been chastening to the

Christie administration, but wasn’t. By the end of the year, the patronage count at the

agency had reportedly reached eighty."

Paul Fishman: The U.S. attorney of New Jersey, he was nominated to succeed Chris

Christie when he became governor in 2009. He’s at the head of all the current federal

inquiries into the governor’s office. When it comes to his job, he’s also Christie’s polar

opposite. As a Wall Street Journal story on Fishman phrased it, “while Mr. Christie is

known for his tough-talking, tell-it-like-it-is style as governor and as the U.S. attorney

preceding Mr. Fishman, Mr. Fishman takes a low-key approach. ‘He is no

swashbuckler.’”

His office is currently “reviewing the matter to determine whether a federal law was

implicated." His office also said "It is the policy of our office to neither confirm nor deny

the existence of investigations."

John Wisniewski: A Democratic assemblyman from Middlesex, who is the co-chair of

the commission investigating the bridge scandal. Rudy Giuliani thinks he should recuse

himself from the commission because, "In his mind, he has already completed this

investigation even before it starts, and will attempt to use his committee to prove his

conclusion. This should be more than enough to disqualify him from heading up the

investigation." Wisniewski responded that he has no intention of stepping down, but he

has also stepped away from previous statements that Christie should be impeached. He

is the only lawmaker to mention this as a potential outcome of the investigation.

Chris Christie: The entire purpose of the multiple investigations is to ascertain

whether Christie was in fact a key player in the traffic jam. He has denied involvement,

and has fired the staffers who were tied to the scandal.

Sandy

T H E B AS I C D E T AI L S

The U.S. Attorney’s office in New Jersey is looking into accusations that Chris Christie

withheld Hurricane Sandy relief in Hoboken--a city of 52,000, about 11 percent of which

are Republican--for political reasons. Hoboken’s mayor said she applied for $130

million in aid and only received $300,000. T H E N U M B E R O F I N V E S T I G A T I O N S

One, so far. The joint-legislative committee looking into the Fort Lee scandal has not

decided whether to widen their probe to include the accusations in Hoboken. Based

onwhat they’ve been saying, it looks likely, but not so soon after they launched their first

committee. The Hoboken spending shortage isn’t the only Sandy-related issue getting

federal attention. Auditors from the Department of Housing and Urban Development

are also looking into some storm funding that was allocated, namely $25 million set

aside for a post-Sandy tourism campaign. T H E K E Y P L A Y E R S

Dawn Zimmer: The first female mayor of Hoboken. She took office after her

predecessor, Peter Cammarano, went to jail for a pay-to-play scheme. Zimmer racked up

some national attention for Hoboken’s crumbling infrastructure in 2011. After

Hurricane Sandy hit in October 2012, she became a go-to specialist in the devastation

for the cyclone of journalists that also descended upon New Jersey. Her first political

achievement was stopping a high-rise redevelopment project while on the Hoboken city

council. She told reporters in May 2011 that she would endorse Christie “if the election

was tomorrow, yes. But there’s two more years. A lot can happen in two years.” Zimmer

has met with federal prosecutors regarding her allegations, and has provided diary

entries and emails to back up her statements. Zimmer has made it clear she’s not

positive there’s a direct connection between the funding shortage and the slow

development developments.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Hoboken

Mayor Dawn Zimmer (L) speak with volunteers at a

Hurricane Sandy disaster recovery headquarters in

Hoboken, New Jersey, in this November 4, 2012

handout file photo. REUTERS/NJ Governor's

Office/Tim Larsen/Handout via Reuters

Lieutenant Governor Kim

Guadagno: Zimmer says that

Guadagno told her in a Shop-Rite

parking lot(!) in Hoboken last May that

the city’s remaining Hurricane Sandy

funding would be held up unless the

mayor expedited a development project

that Christie had a special interest in promoting. The Rockefeller Group, which is in

charge of the 2 million square feet of planned office space, is represented by a law pal of

Christie, and as Hunter Walker reported this week, has a history of making campaign

donations to New Jersey politicians. At a Martin Luther King Jr. event on Monday,

Guadagno said the allegations were “particularly offensive” to her because she thought

they were friends. "The mayor asked me to help her find a company to fill it and we did.

Right now Pearson Education is on the waterfront — they created hundreds of job — so

yes I'm very surprised, by the mayor's allegations and I deny wholeheartedly those

allegations. I thought we had a good relationship."

Port Authority: The agency is also at the center of this scandal, thanks to the fact that

Rockefeller Group is represented by Wolff & Samson PC, the law firm of the chair of the

Port Authority, David Samson. Samson also happens to be a Christie adviser. Former

Christie aide Lori Grifa is also a lobbyist at Rockefeller.

Chris Christie: Did he withhold Hurricane Sandy aid from Hoboken? Did he know

about Guadagno's stealth supermarket visit? Does he just have an especially rogue band

of staffers? Who knows.

What this could mean for Christie

Unless the two investigations manage to find that the governor did know about his

office’s angry traffic-jam orchestrating—or worse, that he was in on it —the George

Washington Bridge scandal looks like it will remain in the relatively low-stakes zone of

being bad PR for Christie—burning bridges rather than being implicated for backing

them up. Christie’s approval ratings have dropped by nearly 20 percentage points since

his re-election according to a Rutgers-Eagleton poll released today. His popularity

among voters who use the George Washington bridge regularly has dropped to 37

percent. The latest Quinnipiac poll shows that the hypothetical match-up between

Christie and Hillary Clinton has the Democrat in the lead where they were once tied …

but hold your horse race. With nearly two years to go until the presidential election, we

have no idea who will win the primaries, no idea who will run in the primaries, and no

idea what voters will remember about the candidates by the time they head out on the

trail.

What about the potential criminal consequences of Bridgegate? As mentioned above,

Wisniewski has said "using the George Washington Bridge, a public resource, to exact a

political vendetta, is a crime. Having people use their officials position to have a political

game is a crime. So if those tie back to the governor in any way, it clearly becomes an

impeachable offense." However, he’s since backed away from this statement, and

Democrats pursuing the investigation seem most intent on quashing his future electoral

ambitions instead of kicking him out of office. The scandals are also revealing the holes

in New Jersey Republicans’ political strategy since Christie was elected. As a political

scientist at Monmouth University told Politicker NJ last week, “It’s been the Chris

Christie Party, and now that Christie is off the scene we have no indication of what’s

going to take his place.” Between the staff firings—likely to continue if the investigations

continue to ramp up—and the waning popularity of Christie’s brand of politicking, rank-

and-file Republicans may stand to lose the most from the Fort Lee and Hoboken

scandals.

The Hoboken scandal, however, has the potential to be more than a political headache

for Christie. A story published by the Star-Ledger today quoted a Fordham law

professor saying, "Closing the George Washington Bridge, that is very serious. It takes a

lot of balls. But this deals with dollars — the misuse of federal tax dollars. The feds will

treat that very, very serious.” State senate president Steve Sweeney echoed this

statement when interviewed by the Wall Street Journal this week: "These new

revelations suggest a pattern of behavior by the highest ranking members of this

administration that is deeply offensive to the people of New Jersey. If true, they could be

illegal."

Traffic crosses the George Washington Bridge, in

Fort Lee, N.J., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014.(AP

Photo/Richard Drew)

The many, many New Jersey

Democrats who have spoken out

against Christie since the emails and

texts from his office were released

mean that the governor is likely to have

political difficulties ranging outside the

realm of hypothetical future elections too. Expect the George Washington Bridge and

Hoboken’s Hurricane Sandy aid to be frequent supporting players in Christie’s

remaining policy battles while governor.

The most likely outcome of both of these investigations is a noticeable drop in Christie’s

electoral influence and promise. Republicans across the country are starting to get

scared of what the scandals in New Jersey could mean for them—especially since

Christie is the most visible Republican governor in the country right now because of his

role as chair of the Republican Governors Association. Ken Cuccinelli, who failed to beat

Terry McAuliffe for Virginia’s gubernatorial seat last November said that Christie should

step down, an opinion that could gain support if the investigations continue for months

and, especially, if the bad publicity makes it difficult to raise money for the organization.

In the end, the chief outcome of this investigation seems to be character study rather

than criminal charges. As the New Yorker's Amy Davidson asked in her summation of

the two investigations, “What are we ready to believe about Christie now—and about the

kind of President he might be?”

Chris Christie 'Bridgegate' Investigation

Intensifies3

The New Jersey governor's re-election campaign is subpoenaed in 'Bridgegate'

investigation

By LAUREN FOX January 24, 2014 RSS Feed Print

What began as a state probe into New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's gubernatorial staff has now expanded to include his 2012 re-election campaign workers.

The lens continues to grow wider as federal investigators

seek to unearth how far New Jersey's Gov. Chris Christie's

staff – and now campaign – went to get back at political

foes.

What began as a state probe into Christie's gubernatorial

3 http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/01/24/chris-christie-bridgegate-investigation-intensifies

staff has now expanded to include his 2012 re-election campaign workers.

The U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey delivered subpoenas to both Christie's campaign staffers and

New Jersey's Republican Party Thursday in an effort to determine who demanded the closure of lanes on

the George Washington Bridge in October and whether those actions had any relationship to Christie's re-

election efforts.

"The campaign and the state party intend to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney's office and the state

legislative committee and will respond to the subpoenas accordingly," Mark Sheridan, the group's

attorney, said in a statement Thursday.

After news of the new round of subpoenas broke, Christie left an event in New Jersey and remained silent

as reporters peppered him with questions, a marked change from the open book-style press conference

Christie held earlier this month.

[READ: Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell Were the GOP's Chosen Ones - What Happens Now]

While the state legislature and investigators are looking into what has become known as "Bridgegate," a

federal investigation heightens the stakes. On Jan. 17, the state legislature delivered 20 subpoenas to

high-level staffers in Christie's governor's office.

The layered investigations come after an email revealed that one of Christie's top aides, Bridget Kelly,

ordered the lane closures of the George Washington Bridge. "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,"

the email read.

Christie, however, continues to promote his agenda as governor. He was sworn in Jan. 21 for a second

term.

Even as the investigation continues to swirl around Christie and his 2016 prospects dim, he continues to

be a national player for the Republican Party. While polls show that Christie's favorability has dropped 19

points since November, the Republican Governor's Association announced the New Jersey governor

would travel to Utah, Texas, Illinois and Massachusetts to fundraise on its behalf. And last weekend

Christie headlined fundraisers in Florida.

There are some rumblings among those in the party that an embattled governor should not be

campaigning and that it may be time for Christie to put on the brakes. Former Virginia Republican

gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli told CNN that Christie should step down from his leadership role

with the RGA.

Republican Davis Says Christie

Hurt by Bridge Saga4

(Transcript) By Jan 24, 2014 2:26 PM PT

Tom Davis, a Republican consultant and former Virginia congressman, said in an

interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” airing this

weekend, that controversies surrounding New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have hurt

the Republican’s possible presidential aspirations at a time when he already is viewed

skeptically by the party’s base.

(This is not a legal transcript. Bloomberg LP cannot guarantee its accuracy.)

AL HUNT: With me now is former Republican Virginia Congressman Tom Davis.

Thank you for being with us, Tom.

TOM DAVIS: Thanks, Al.

HUNT: Obama with comparatively low approval ratings gives the State of the

Union next Tuesday night. What does he have to do to turn it around?

DAVIS: Well, I think he’s got to stay on a positive note. He ought to preach unity at this

point and not divisive issues, trying to bring things back together. I mean, part of his

problem right now is you have a very polarized country. And you - half the country likes

him and half the country doesn’t like him at all. He’s got to try to put a unity theme

together.

HUNT: Are there issues that will work for that theme?

DAVIS: Well, I think he can talk budget. I think he can talk about a lot of things -

working together. I don’t think income inequality works for him, frankly. I think it’s not a

winner for the Democrats. It is with their progressive base, but they lose the - you could

see in the presidential race last time, Romney and the upper-income precincts did a

4 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-24/republican-davis-says-christie-hurt-by-bridge-saga-transcript-.html

couple points better than in ’08. And I think over the long term, these inroads they’ve

been making in wealthy suburbs are going to dissipate if they preach that.

HUNT: And what should be the tone and the substance of the Republican response?

DAVIS: I think it should be respectful. You should draw the line in terms of what you -

you’re willing to work with the president, but, you know, call attention to the issues, not

just foreign policy, Obamacare issue, in terms of how this isn’t working, of course. That’s

the whole narrative for the campaign.

HUNT: Right.

DAVIS: And then talk about the budget. I think that continues to be a Republican

unifying theme that all factions of the party unite around these deficits.

HUNT: Tom, how do you think the November elections are going to shake out?

DAVIS: Well, it’s a year away, so nobody really -

HUNT: Yeah, but as of now, what does it look like to you?

DAVIS: Well, historically, the out party picks up seats in the House and Senate.

Historically, if you look at the last generation, the out party’s picked up six Senate seats.

Two reasons for that. One is you get the six-year itch on a president that - the negatives

start to mount. And the second is, these are members who got swept in, in ’08 on

Obama’s coattails, and now they’re sitting there by themselves, and, in fact, you’ve got

seven seats in districts that Romney carried that are going to be up there naked this time.

HUNT: But, Congressman, if you come close to taking the Senate or take the Senate, and

add to the House majority, isn’t the message going to be to those Tea Party conservatives,

they’re going to be emboldened? Rather than change or moderate, they’re going to say,

let’s double-down?

DAVIS: Well, they - they’re saying that now. I mean, you could see the fiasco that

happened earlier this year when they shut the government down. But, look, then you get

the next cycle, where you have that 2010 Republican cycle up in a presidential year that

puts it at risk, so even if the Republicans pick up the Senate two years from now, they’re

going to be - it’ll be jeopardized again.

HUNT: And what do the Republicans have to do to become more competitive on the

presidential level? I mean, what changes would you like to see in the party?

DAVIS: Well, look, you’ve got 19 states or 18 states, plus the District of Columbia. It’s

about 238 electoral - 240 electoral votes, something like that, voted Democrat now six

straight times. You’ve got to break that.

HUNT: But how do you do that? What changes have to be made? That’s what you have

to do, but how do you do it? What - how does the substance, how does the tone, how does

the message have to be different?

DAVIS: Al, take a look at the coalitions that the parties have. I mean, the 2012 election

was a repeat of 2008 for all practical purposes. It was a couple-point swing. We’ve

developed almost a parliamentary voting behavior. If you’re Republicans, you have to

figure, what part of that Democratic coalition can we pick off? I mean, young people

come to mind right away. People talk about Hispanics and at least improving your

standing there. But you’ve got to look at young voters.

HUNT: Have to do something on immigration, then?

DAVIS: Well, I think you’re going to - you - the House needs to pass something. You

don’t have to get a bill out, because you can have a narrative of, if we passed our bill, we

did a DREAM Act that - you’ve got to show, I think, some progress, absolutely.

HUNT: Let me ask you to put on that superb Davis analytical cap. And how badly - from

what we know so far - has Governor Chris Christie’s presidential aspirations been

harmed?

DAVIS: I think they’re hurt right now. His numbers are down in New Jersey, No. 1. I

mean, his whole appeal is, “I’m the winner.” He’s never going to be the darling of the

party base. But, you know, they can make a contract with him, if you can win, you can

help advance the agenda. But it’s all based on the fact that he can win in a - in a blue

state. And when his numbers go down, if he turns upside-down, for example, in his own

state, I think that takes the patina off him and he becomes more vulnerable.

And, look, but then you have people like Kasich and so on that can’t do anything now.

They’re locked in - in a tough re-election battle. But winning in Ohio or something like it

can move forward, try to -

HUNT: Well, I was going to say, for that wing of the party, if you will, the non-right-

wing of the party is the alternative, what, Jeb Bush, who else?

DAVIS: Well, Kasich, I think, certainly in Ohio, because he’s - both of them are from

very, very key states. So you look along - I know Scott Walker, if he can win re-

election, Wisconsin is another swing state. So -

HUNT: Do you expect Jeb Bush to run?

DAVIS: He could. He’s got his biggest plus is, frankly, not that he’s a Bush. It’s the fact

he was a very good governor and he’s from a very swing state and had a pretty

outstanding record.

HUNT: And how about the others? How about the right-wing of the party? Who do you

think are the more formidable candidates?

DAVIS: Well, you’ve got a lot of pretenders. I think if Huckabee gets back in it, although

he’s economic a little more populist, he is an optimist. He can sell. It just depends who

can consolidate that early on. I think there are a lot of pretenders. Ted Cruz - certainly it’s

going to be hard to squeeze any daylight between yourself and the right gutter with him.

He’s just very conservative. He gets in, I think he’s an instant darling. And then you’ve

got Rand Paul, which is a conservative strain, but a little more independent.

Hunt: Let me ask you about the sad story in your home state, Bob McDonnell and his

wife were indicted. Without judging their guilt or innocence, because we don’t know, are

there any lessons we can take from this tragedy?

DAVIS: Oh, I think so. I think - look, in Virginia, of course, everything - you can take

anything. You get - people need to understand. This might appear to most people to be,

you know, just way out of bounds, but under Virginia law, taking gifts is legal to any

amount. The question is, do you disclose it? And was there a quid pro quo? Which is

harder to prove. But we haven’t had boundaries for years, because nobody’s really

abused it.

I don’t know if this law’s been enforced in the last 30 years, in terms of anybody not

filing appropriately and disclosing appropriately. But they’re certainly going to

strengthen the law here. But I think for elected officials at large, I think it’s a warning

shot at this point that you’re in office, if you want to make money, you leave office.

HUNT: Just quickly, what kind of start is Terry McAuliffe off to as governor?

DAVIS: He’s off to a good start. Look, I think he’s very earnest about wanting to be a

pretty good governor, but you’ve got the hot-button issues that have polarized the state

for a long time that are still there. What he needs to do is find out where he can get along

with Republican legislators, get a few early wins. But I think in terms of some of his

cabinet picks and the like, he’s done a pretty good job.

HUNT: Tom Davis, thank you so much for being with us today.

DAVIS: Thanks, Al.

***END OF TRANSCRIPT***

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VI. Length Part of the criteria for success is efficient use of the space allowed. If you write a single sentence for a one/third page assignment, you have not satisfied this criterion. However, this is not an invitation to use the additional space for stream-of-consciousness or irrelevant information not pertinent to the assigned issue. If you are having difficulties with the length, it is usually because you have not recognized or developed sufficiently the various issues involved. Conversely, if your draft is too long, you need to whittle it down to just the relevant essentials, perhaps editing out the anecdotes or redundancies; more is not always better! I am very willing to help if you submit drafts sufficiently before the due date.

VII. Rough Drafts I have invited all of you to bring rough drafts of your completed assignment in for a preview reading. I do not offer re-writes after I have graded your papers. Rough drafts are brought in during my office hours or by appointment and I only read them in person - with the student present. Please do not submit rough drafts electronically nor should you drop them off in my box. I support pro-active measures that encourage preparation and thought and with rough draft readings, both the student and I should benefit with the end result being a better final draft. If your work satisfies my criteria (see rubrics following) for “A” level work, and if the draft is formatted and printed in final draft format, I will sign off on the draft, guaranteeing those students somewhere between 100% and 90% of the points possible for this assignment. Your cut-off for rough draft submissions is 24 hours prior to the due date; I will read no rough drafts the day of or the day prior to the due date.

Keep scrolling down for rubrics and a sample completed assignment!

Standards (Rubrics) for Grading Case Studies

The excellent paper (100-90% of points) will exhibit the following qualities: Question 1:

Conclusion is clearly identified Major supporting premises are identified Relevant and critical minor supporting premises are identified. Argument has been presented with good logical flow. Paraphrase has eliminated all irrelevant or unnecessary information. Paraphrase is original and not merely a verbatim repetition of original argument Argument is clearly understood and consistent with the author’s intent. No critique, analysis or irrelevant commentary is provided.

Question 2:

All items are listed as normatively neutral questions. No immediate bias is evidenced.

All critical questions have been raised given the space allowed. Questions are relevant to the case and would be likely to be relevant to the

philosopher/theory being applied to the case. Questions are likely to drive effective and informative research. The questions

should be factual and answerable (at least in terms of probabilities or projections backed up with historical data).

Questions are not phrased in terms of what will happen or should happen but what has happened; remember one cannot gather data from events that have yet to occur.

Questions are grammatically correct and are presented in a bulleted list. Question 3:

A clear thesis statement is made at the beginning of the response. Argument is focused on the key issues. Argument is clear and well organized. Argument is consistent with the assigned philosopher’s theory. Argument is effectively supported with relevant reasons. Sufficient detail from the philosopher’s theory is provided. Argument is effectively supported with relevant quotes from the philosopher’s

primary work & all quotes are cited properly. Responses reflect thoughtful and detailed consideration of background material

provided. No immediate personal bias is evidenced.

Question 4:

Core counter-considerations are identified. All critical barriers raised are reflective of real-world practical considerations.

Objections are directly relevant to the case made in response to question three. Objections/counter-considerations are presented succinctly in a bulleted list.

Question 5:

All objections or counter-considerations raised in the fourth section have responses. Solutions proposed should be reasonably and humanly applicable (e.g. not asking

for divine intervention). Solutions proposed should be well supported given the space allowed. Responses should be consistent with the target philosopher’s theory. Responses are presented succinctly in a bulleted list which parallels those

objections/counter-considerations offered in section 4.

Overall Impressions: Study presents evidence of a thoughtful and deliberative approach. Language is clear and explanations/arguments are original Effective use has been made of space allowed Study reflects careful consideration of background material provided. There is good logic flow from one response to another – issues raised in earlier

questions must link logically with responses to later questions. The study is scholarly, with effective use of the essays and relevant philosophical

theory. All quotes and references are properly cited. Assignment format has been followed.

Good (89-80% points) The good paper will demonstrate all the above qualities but perhaps to a lesser degree or, will demonstrate some of the above qualities excellently, but not all of the qualities will be presented at a consistently high level.

Satisfactory (79-70% points) The satisfactory paper will present all of the above qualities but not as strongly as the good paper or, some qualities may be stronger with some not as strong. Insight is not usually present.

Needs Work (69-60% points) This paper is weak on many of the desired qualities.

Really Needs Work – Pretty Much Unacceptable (59-0% points) This paper presents few if any of the desired qualities.

Keep scrolling down for a sample completed assignment!

Cabrillo College Sophia Philein Ethics – Philosophy 10 Spring 2014

Case Study #1: Mill, Arizona & House Bill 2281

1. Paraphrase the argument presented in the film, “Precious Knowledge.” This film presents a clear condemnation of AZ House Bill 2281 which the makers of the film charge as targeting the teaching of ethnic studies in AZ high schools. The film argues that the funding of ethnic studies in the high schools is a critical and significant contributor to student success and fulfills the needs of underrepresented students that are not otherwise met in the conventional curriculum. Further it is argued that those supporting AZ HB2281 are motivated by a poor understanding of the ethnic studies program and if not out and out racism, at the very least a callous indifference to the needs of those underrepresented students. Lastly, it is argued that AZ HB2281 is tantamount to censorship.

2. What sort of further information would assist you in formulating a response to these issues?

What was the drop-out rate for AZ Latino students before vs. during the program? How did the drop-out rate of students who participated in the program compare to the overall drop-out rates of the school district?

Are there statistical correlations between drop-out rates and unemployment, homelessness and crime?

How have the students in the ethnic studies program performed on standardized tests as compared to the general population of students in the district?

Was there an increase in school violence or public disturbances linked to racial tension during the period the program was taught?

Have any studies been performed to link diversity of curriculum to student success?

What was the racial background of the students in the program

Is the public funding of AZ schools very limited or decreasing? How does AZ per student spending compare to other states in the US?

How much does the ethnic studies program cost per student compared to the general courses taught and how many students as a percent of the total school district population does it serve?

In other states/cities/districts what impact has the institution of ethnic studies programs had on the students who participate?

3. Pending the acquisition of this information, how do you think Mill would respond to this case? There are three main reasons why Mill would have rejected Arizona’s House Bill 2281. First, Mill was a utilitarian and thus would weigh the moral worth of this bill in terms of outcomes and the number of people affected. From such a cost-benefit analysis, it appears that though the ethnic studies programs may have been more expensive and served a smaller population of students, the outcomes were significant in terms of greater retention and graduation rates, better scores on standardized exams, higher transfers to colleges, and a significantly more motivated student body who felt empowered to work towards issues of social justice and equal opportunities for Latinos.6 Under the old system, one must consider the cost of educating students who fail or drop-out. The waste of finite public resources, combined with the social cost of high school drop-outs in terms of quality of life, higher incidences of crime, unrealized potential and lost productivity cannot be disregarded. Secondly, Mill held there is a connection between education, a just society and the greatest good or ‘happiness’ as he called it. For Mill, happiness involved free will,

6 http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/precious-knowledge/

empowered action, a sense of pride and most importantly, a kind of higher rational dignity. (p.266) He argued, “The present wretched education and wretched social arrangements are the only real hindrance to its being attainable by almost all.” (p.267) If it can be adequately shown that the ethnic studies do contribute to such qualities for a significant number of students – and anecdotal evidence supports this – then this is just the sort of program of which Mill would most approve. Many of the participants reported a significant change in their understanding of how their ancestors contributed to this country and that they had gained a real sense of empowerment and optimism about their own future. Finally, as a classic libertarian, Mill was opposed to excessive government intervention. (p.256) He wrote, “The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.” (p255) There appears to be little evidence to support that there was an active harm incurred through the teaching of ethnic studies. Contrarily, there is good evidence that an ethnically diverse curriculum is pedagogically defensible. The Arizona state legislators’ move has effectively curbed a cherished practice of academic freedom which is clearly consistent with Mill’s position on governmental overreach. Encyclopedia Britannica defines academic freedom as, “…the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction from law, institutional regulations, or public pressure.”7 In order to justify this Bill, the legislators needed to demonstrate positive harms such as proving a clear link between an increase in racially motivated violence and the program. Mill argued strenuously against censorship in On Liberty, “If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”8 It seems clear that, in this case, there are greater harms in censorship and the erosion of freedom than there are gains made in the name of consistency and standardization. When one includes the books that were also banned, this looks like a bad Bill likely to result in worse consequences.

4. Identify counter considerations or objections to the argument you’ve made in section 3

Some believe that tailoring district curriculum to reflect the ethnicity of local populations would impede the perceived need for consistency - ensuring that all students graduate with the same basic skill sets.

Public school funds are always limited and special programs do tend to cost more per student and serve fewer students as a whole.

The Latino population is traditionally underrepresented both in terms of voter turn-out and in campaign contributions; the representatives are consequently not as motivated to see Latinos as an important part of their constituency.

5. Reply to the counter-considerations identified in section 4.

Further studies are needed to document how the institution of ethnic studies programs impact students’ performance on standardized tests or other outcomes based assessment tools.

A set of standardized criteria need to be developed to evaluate the consequences of investment in public education and in ethnic studies in particular. These outcomes should include the impact of graduation rates on social costs such as employment rates, productivity, tax revenue, crime rates, etc. Overall, it appears that school funding also needs to be increased as AZ is one of the lowest states in per student spending.

Latino voters & politicians need to become more active with voter registration and turnout among the interested constituency. They can also work for campaign finance reform to reduce bias.

7 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/2591/academic-freedom 8 http://kaitlinemarrin.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/john-stuart-mill-on-liberty-chapter-2-of-the-liberty-of-thought-and-discussion/