Class Calendar Length
Semester Long
Grade Levels
11, 12
Course Summary
This course provides a critical examination of the history of social protest and the ongoing quest for civil, political, and legal rights in the United States. Focusing on movements from the 1960s to the present, students will analyze the diverse strategies and methodologies used by marginalized groups to secure their constitutional liberties. By evaluating historical contexts and legal outcomes, participants will develop a nuanced understanding of how civic action drives social change, strengthening their skills in oral argumentation, legal reasoning, and societal analysis.
Key Outcomes
- Trace the evolution of civil liberties through major 20th and 21st-century protests.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of various social movement methodologies.
- Construct persuasive legal and civic arguments regarding modern civil rights.
Mass. State Standards
- HSS.NML.T1.04: Media Literacy (Analyzing government control and censorship)
- HSS.GOV.T1.05: Civic Society (Analyzing the value of voluntary citizen participation)
- HSS.GOV.T1.09: Democratic Realities (Efforts to narrow discrepancies in political life)
- HSS.GOV.T4.03: Interest Groups (The evolution and role of PACs and interest groups)
- HSS.GOV.T4.07: Public Policy (Evaluating issues and the legislative process)
About the Instructor
Oris T. Bryant is a veteran educator at the Noble & Greenough School, where he has spent the last sixteen years teaching social science and humanities to students in grades 9-12. Originally from Mattapan, Oris holds a degree in Law and Public policy from Brown University and earned his Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School – Newark. Before transitioning to education twenty-three years ago, he practiced corporate law, a background that now informs his work advising student groups like the Mock Trial club. In addition to his classroom teaching, Oris is a key member of his school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department and frequently shares his expertise at various educational conferences. He is dedicated to helping students develop the critical thinking and legal reasoning skills necessary to understand the complex dynamics of social change and rights advocacy.