JonBenet Ramsey's Killer (A Think)

Left: American John Mark Karr, center, being hustled to a news conference by Thai police officers in Bangkok. (Washington Post, Sakchai Lalit -- AP)

The main-stream-media is talking about the arrest of JonBenet Ramsey's accused killer, today. The Los Angeles Times is running an article entitled Thai Police: Karr Confesses to Killing JonBenet Ramsey.

The article states:

Wood said the arrest vindicated JonBenet's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer June 24. "John and Patsy lived their lives knowing they were innocent, trying to raise a son despite the furor around them," Wood said. "The story of this family is a story of courage, and story of an American injustice and tragedy that ultimately people will have to look back on and hopefully learn from."

A few lesson ideas:
1. JonBenet was a little girl who was following her dreams (or maybe the dreams of her parents). Ask students to consider what it means to follow their dreams. Encourage them in a quick write, or a journal entry, to write about their own dreams and how they hope to fulfill them.
2. Many people thought that the Ramseys had killed their daughter. But in many civilized nations there is a legal doctrine, "The Presumption of Innocense." Ask students what this phrase means. Ask them if they think that it is appropriate to consider somebody innocent until they are found guilty. Ask them what kinds of problems it might cause to society if somebody who is guilty is presumed innocent until they are found guilty. Ask them what kinds of problems it might cause to individuals, like the Ramseys, if they are presumed guilty before they are found guilty.
3. With young children it might be appropriate to discuss safety, again. Perhaps in groups of two or three, you could ask students to identify rules that they remember to keep them safe when they are out in public. Older students might be asked to think of a few rules that will keep them safe, when they are on-line. (I certainly would not share the story of JonBenet with young children.)
4. You might ask students to identify three questions about child beauty pageants that they would like to answer. Then provide them with time to conduct research so that they can answer these questions.