Answer No. 15:

Here's the first best answer I've received for Questions #15.

Question No. 15 was:
What are two structures in the Iranian regime that provide representation of public opinion in the law and policy making processes?

What are two structures in the Iranian regime that limit the representation of public opinion in the law and policy making processes?

(Remember to label your lists.)

This answer came from Mr. Wolfson's 6th period class at Spring Creek High School in Port Orange, Florida. (How will they share those two pencils?)

The SCHS class answer is:

"1. providing representation of public opinion in the law and policy making processes: The popularly elected Majlis and President. The Majlis (Iranian Parliament) is made up of 290 deputies elected by direct and secret ballot for four year terms. The President is elected by popular vote for four year terms (two terms maximum). Several religious minorities are seated in parliament, with five seats reserved for Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians.

"2. limiting the representation of public opinion in the law and policy making processes? The appointed Guardian Council and Supreme Leader. The Guardian Council is a 12 member council that jointly with the supreme leader has veto power over any legislation passed by the parliament that they deem to be at odds with the basic tenants of the Islamic faith. These 12 arrive via two paths: 6 are clerical members appointed by the Supreme Leader; 6 are lay members (lawyers) recommended by the head of the judiciary, subject to approval of the parliament. These serve 6 year terms and operate as somewhat of an upper house of Parliament. The Supreme Leader is appointed by the Assembly of Religious Experts and they reconfirm him periodically. (The Assembly of Experts IS popularly elected, but is made up of mostly clerics, all male.)
Because the Assembly of Experts appoints the Supreme Leader and he appoints the Guardian Council (indirectly in part, in that he appoints the head of the judiciary), public opinion is removed from impacting these selections."

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This would be a four-point question.

This question is one of basic facts. On the AP Exam, this topic would more likely be asked about in a multiple-choice question.

My rubric for this is straightforward:

Iranian public opinion in law and policy making is represented by the
• president
• majlis
• Assembly of Experts

Representation of public opinion is limited by the powers of the
• supreme leader
• Expediency Council
• Guardian Council
• Judiciary

Any two of the first three would earn a point each; any two of the second four would earn a point each IF they are correctly identified as representing or limiting public opinion.

Mr. Wolfson's class correctly labeled both two-item lists. They earned 2 points for the first part of the question, and they earned two points for the second part of the question.

There is a lot of explanation in the answer that is unnecessary for earning those points. However, if the class had not repeated the labels from the question ("... providing representation of public opinion..." and "... limiting the representation of public opinion..."), those comments and elaborations would have been important substitutes for the labels.

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