Couple found guilty in slave case

Ben Amato | Educational consultant

"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Persuasive Writing - ELA Standards 1, 3 and 4

Slavery has existed throughout history, yet it is shocking to see it as it manifests itself today in, in both the tawdry sex trade and the homes of affluent. Today's lesson looks at the verdict handed down to a Muttontown couple, found guilty of torturing and abusing slaves in their Gold Coast mansion.

TV Component
The CW11 News at Ten covered the trial of the Sabhnanis, a wealthy couple accused of enslaving and torturing two women for years. Watch the video twice and then answer the Listening Assessment multiple choice quiz.

Newspaper Component
The Newsday article "Couple found guilty in slave case" describes verdict and the courtroom scene at a federal trial on Long Island. Read the article and then using the facts and details within, have the students complete the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle.

Language Arts Component / Critical Lens
"I expose slavery in this country, because to expose it is to kill it.
Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death."
Frederick Douglass - American Abolitionist, Lecturer, Author and Slave, 1817-1895

The brutal nature of slavery extends to the punishment our laws allow for the convicted enslavers. The Sabhnanis could face over a century of jail time for their years of cruelty. If you were the judge, what punishment would you hand down to Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani?

Situation
Write a PERSUASIVE ESSAY on what you believe to be a fitting sentence for the Sabhnanis and others who enslave.

The Nature and Structure of a Persuasive Essay
The goal of a PERSUASIVE ESSAY is to sway the reader to your opinion. Using facts and details, an argument is presented, designed to change your reader's mind and convince them of your interpretation. It is usually framed in three sections.

INTRODUCTION
This paragraph begins the essay and starts off with a STATEMENT OF TOPIC. In the opening sentence establish WHAT the essay will be about. Then describe WHO is involved and WHY it should matter to your audience. End this introduction with your own OPINION on the verdict and proper punishments the Sabhnanis should face.

BODY
This section concerns the actual SPECIFIC FACTS about the enslavement and court case. Arrange the details according to an ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, where the most significant information comes first, with the less significant details later in the paragraph.

This section may be longer than just one paragraph, depending on how many facts and details you gather from the article and television news story. Use the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle and the answers to the Listening Assessment multiple choice quiz as a RUBRIC, so you can see if all the important facts have been included and described.

CONCLUSION
This section of persuasive writing is your final attempt to sway your audience, so restate the TOPIC and your OPINION about the issue. Select the one most important detail which supports your feelings about slavery and the Sabhnanis. Your last sentence should look towards the future. What will this verdict and sentencing mean to others who hold slaves?