Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed to the Supreme Court
Ask Students: Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson and what is her background? What is the process like that leads to someone becoming a Supreme Court Justice?
Summary
In a historic first, the Senate Thursday narrowly confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Three Republican senators joined all 50 Democrats in voting for Jackson. LaDoris Cordell, who became the first Black woman judge in northern California and recently published a memoir titled “Her Honor,” joins Amna Nawaz for more on the confirmation.
Discussion Questions: Celebrating Ketanji Brown Jackson
- Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson and what is her background?
- What is the process like that leads to someone becoming a Supreme Court Justice?
- How is Jackson’s confirmation historic?
- What are some of Jackson’s accomplishments?
- Why did Republican senators criticize Jackson in her hearing?
Focus Questions
The confirmation vote was narrow, 53 to 47, with three Republicans siding with Democrats voting to confirm.
- Was Jackson treated fairly by those Republican lawmakers who voted against her confirmation, in your opinion? Or did ‘partisan politics’ take over? Explain.
- Do you think the nomination and confirmation process for Supreme Court Justices makes sense?
- How do you think they should be chosen?
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The final vote on the Senate floor to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson
Media Literacy
- Why do you think the producers chose to interview Judge LaDoris Cordell for this piece? Can you think of a time when you experienced “good pressure” and “bad pressure” as Cordell put it? How did it make you feel?
- “So those who did not vote for her, they expressed themselves quite well with their baseless, race-baiting and insulting comments and questions to her. And I hope we spend very little time on these individuals who are basically very hypocritical and/or do not have an understanding of how the legal system works, particularly the criminal legal system,” Cordell stated. What does the term “race-baiting” mean? Why did some Republican lawmakers take this approach? Do you agree with Cordell’s statement? Why or why not?
Additional Resources
- Find more lesson plans, resources and more in our collection: The Supreme Court and Balancing the Branches.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Extra.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories.
