Explain that the class is going to simulate a meeting of a Board of Supervisors or City Council. Arrange desks to resemble a meeting of the Board.
Assign roles to students. All students not assigned a speaking part are part of the Board of Supervisors (Council). You may wish to divide the audience into two or three groups. Each group will hold separate deliberations in Step 5. See "No Vehicles in the Park" (Attachment N) for citizen speaking parts.
Explain that at last month's meeting the Board of Supervisors (City Council) responded to citizens' concerns about safety in Lincoln Park (see map, Attachment M). The Board of Supervisors (City Council) voted (passed an ordinance) to close the roads that cross Lincoln Park to all vehicular traffic.
The simulation begins with the public comment section of the meeting. The citizens listed in the “No Vehicles in the Park” script (Attachment N) ask for clarification or an exemption to the local ordinance.
After all of the speakers have addressed the Board of Supervisors, allow the Board to discuss the issue. When the discussion is complete, ask the Board members to take any action that is appropriate. Explain their options. If there are multiple groups in the class, ask each group to explain why the members took the action they did.
