You will need the information on this page only if the Moot Court Activity is part of the assignment. Use the Inherit links on the first page of this guide.
Using the First Amendment as a guide, you will explore the concept of academic freedom in today's society and use a moot court format to determine how the Scopes Trial would be decided if it were to take place in 2013.
A moot court is not the same as a mock trial. A mock trial includes witnesses, testimony and cross examinations by the attorneys for the prosecution and defense. A moot court follows the same preparation as a trial, but instead of witnesses, the emphasis is on the oral arguments of the prosecution and the defense. A judge will question the attorneys. It is important to be able to state your case precisely. The Moot Court Honor Society has additional information on conducting a moot court, as well as tips for oral arguments.
Many of the same issues that were a source of conflict in the Scopes Trial are still under debate today in 2013. Your research will need to focus on the current status of the teaching of evolution and the belief in Creationism, or Intelligent Design. Information is provided on the Scopes Trial as way of background, but your primary investigation will consider the First Amendment, the concept of Academic Freedom (both topics will be further addressed when on the Censorship / Banned Books unit in Library class), and the tension that exists between some religious beliefs and scientific fact.
Key words to begin with are "creationism" or "intelligent design". You should know a little bit about Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution (but not the current theory of Social Darwinism) and Fundamentalist religion. Add to the keywords as you develop your research.