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February 2010WSBA Takes On The Civics Crisisby Pam Inglesby Last year, retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor appeared on “The Daily Show” to discuss her new civic education website, www.ourcourts.org, with host Jon Stewart:
The research O’Connor cites here has been replicated in Washington, with similar results. In a statewide public opinion poll conducted in 2006, barely one-half of those surveyed understood what “separation of powers” means and almost one-third didn’t understand the concept of an “independent judiciary.” And these were registered voters! Stewart’s point is also relevant. We need the public to learn about civics in all kinds of ways and places: when they turn on the radio in their car, when they stop in the library to pick up the latest potboiler, when they attend a PTA or Rotary meeting, and when they go online looking for advice about how to get out of a traffic ticket. Being able to name the three branches of government is not a trivial achievement. A healthy democracy requires citizens who understand how and why it functions, or they will not be able to participate in a meaningful way — as jurors, voters, community leaders, and citizen lobbyists. As John Dewey said: “We have taken democracy for granted; we have thought and acted as if our forefathers had founded it once and for all. We have forgotten that it has to be enacted anew in every generation, in every year, in every day.” WSBA’s New Public Legal Education Focus The crisis is largely due to the steady decline of civic education in K–12 schools, which began in the 1960s and has been exacerbated more recently by federal legislation promoting “basic” subjects such as math and writing. The influential 2003 Civic Mission of Schools report, co-sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation, points out that civic education was the primary goal of public schools when they were first created, and that “schools can help address disturbing trends related to youth civic engagement, including a decrease in young people’s interest in political discussion and public issues; their tendency to be more cynical and alienated from formal politics, more materialistic, and less trusting; and a decline in their voter participation rates.” Part of the solution to public ignorance of civics is thus getting it back into schools, either as a stand-alone class or integrated into other subjects. The WSBA’s Council on Public Legal Education (CPLE), which has been working on this problem since 2000, helped change state law so that civic learning is now assessed annually at three grade levels. The CPLE also trains teachers on the separation of powers, judicial review, and other basic civics concepts; supports youth courts across the state; and matches up volunteer judges with high schools where they co-teach an introductory law class. The WSBA plans to continue these efforts aimed at youth, but also increase civic education for the general public. We are launching a civics speakers bureau, and working with other organizations that bring civics speakers to town to increase their visibility. (For example, when Justice O’Connor came to Seattle last fall to lead a forum on judicial selection at the Seattle University School of Law, she also spoke in the evening at Seattle’s Town Hall to a sellout audience and appeared the following morning on KUOW radio’s “Weekday” program.) Further information about the WSBA’s public legal education efforts, including volunteer opportunities for lawyers and judges, is available online at www.wsba.org/ple. Pam Inglesby is the WSBA’s public legal education manager. Portions of this article previously appeared in the August 2009 issue of the King County Bar Association Bar Bulletin. NOTE
Seven years ago, a board member of the Washington Judges Foundation (WJF) came up with a simple idea to address the civic education crisis: judges could co-teach an introductory law class in high schools around the state. Since then, approximately 2,000 students have benefited from this innovative program funded by the WJF and administered by the WSBA’s Council on Public Legal Education. Inspiration came from long-standing programs at the law schools of the University of Washington and Seattle University, in which students co-teach the semester-long Street Law curriculum one day a week in nearby high schools. Street Law covers the basics of the U.S. system of government and justice, as well as practical law, such as contracts and student rights. In the judicial Street Law program, the volunteer judge is paired with a teacher in his or her community who has been assigned to teach a class (such as law and society or civics) compatible with the Street Law curriculum. Both the judge and teacher attend a day-long training taught by Margaret Fisher, a member of the CPLE and a nationally recognized expert in law-related education for youth. At the training, the judge and teacher learn interactive teaching strategies such as role plays, mock hearings, and case studies that make Street Law a popular class with students. “There are so many different approaches to the delivery of the material that it makes it easy for teachers to address multiple learning styles and keep the students actively engaged,” says Stacy Delcour, of West Valley High School in Spokane. The content of the class also attracts students. Sue Bergman, of Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, notes that it “deals with real issues that directly and indirectly affect my students. They are more engaged and attendance is usually pretty good. This class is a great way to motivate students and give them hands-on experience.” The judges who participate in the program also see an effect on students. “Each semester I’m impressed with the ways in which quiet students are transformed into students who can communicate effectively, reason, and participate in problem-solving,” notes Judge Jim Swanger, of Vancouver. As evidence, he cites two former Street Law students who married, with Swanger performing the ceremony. He claims the Street Law class motivated the couple to research Washington’s marriage laws. “They attended various court proceedings in Family Court, picked up brochures regarding consumer and landlord-tenant laws, and spoke with pre-marriage counselors.” Teachers enjoy the program because it gives them training in a subject area often overlooked, it improves their teaching, and they enjoy working with a judge one day a week. “One of the best parts of the program has been the partnership with Judge Rick White,” says Delcour. “His presence in the classroom adds another dimension of relevance for the students. He has established great rapport with them, and they look forward to his visits and his mentorship.” The volunteer judges have their own reasons for participating. Judge Swanger sees Street Law as a way he can address the decline in basic civic knowledge among young people he has observed for many years. “Street Law seems like the perfect vehicle not only to teach about law, but to motivate students to have a greater understanding of their rights and to become knowledgeable, active citizens in our law-saturated society,” he says, adding that “being involved in Street Law is the most fun I’ve had in 11 years on the bench.” (Swanger’s enthusiasm was recognized by the national Street Law organization, which named him Educator of the Year in 2008.) Judge David Larson, of Federal Way, sees the Street Law program as “demystifying the law to the next generation.” Larson feels that judges are “too mysterious to the public ... the program helps us as judges become more approachable without losing the decorum that needs to surround our office.” Judge Rick White, of Spokane, who was a juvenile probation officer before attending law school, enjoys working with young people because they are very interested in the justice system, perhaps because so many television shows are about the law and the courts. “I consider myself to be a very fortunate person,” he says. “Going to classrooms is one of the ways that I express my gratitude for the job.” The Street Law program has become so popular with judges that there is now a long waiting list of those wishing to participate. The CPLE is considering ways to reduce costs or increase funding that will allow more students to benefit.
Many of the WSBA’s efforts to increase civic education involve training individuals — lawyers, judges, and teachers — to carry the message to students and the public. The Council on Public Legal Education is now taking this approach one step further by encouraging communities around the state to create their own local PLE councils. These councils bring together anyone interested in increasing civic education in their area, including both individuals and representatives of organizations such as the League of Women Voters and the YMCA. The local PLE council might start a new initiative (e.g., a youth court) or expand an existing program (e.g., a Law Day celebration). CPLE members and staff are eager to help convene local PLE councils and to provide ongoing guidance and support. For further information, see www.wsba.org/ple or contact Pam Inglesby at pami@wsba.org. A decade of PLE The Council on Public Legal Education celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. A report on the Council’s history and achievements is available online at www.wsba.org/ple. What can you do? A useful handout |
