SCBA Supports Program on Democratic Values
By Mark Shusted

I am pleased to report that the Bar Council unanimously approved a proposal to co-sponsor an ambitious initiative to promote greater understanding of democratic governance and the U.S. Constitution among elementary and high school students in the Sacramento region.

The initiative was presented to Bar Council by an ad hoc committee led by U.S. District Judge Frank Damrell. The other members of this distinguished committee include District Judge-nominee Morrison England, Jr., Third District Court of Appeal Presiding Justice Art Scotland, SCBA Distinguished Attorney 2001 Joe Genshlea, private practitioner and former City Council member Kim Mueller, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Raff Taylor.

The committee was convened in the wake of September 11th. As Judge Damrell reported in the previous issue of Sacramento Lawyer, lawyers and judges throughout the country have responded to the catastrophe by developing plans and programs to strengthen core values in our youth, focusing on appreciation of and respect for the rule of law, our history, and our diversity.

Judge Damrell's committee wants to take what it sees as the best of these programs and put them to work in Sacramento, with the assistance of federal and state judges and local attorneys. At present a number of federal judges have signed on, as has the Federal Bar Association, our co-sponsor for the initiative. Several of our affiliates also have agreed to assist. The initiative consists of four programs, to be implemented concurrently. They are:

Dialogue on Freedom. This program was developed by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. It involves a lawyer and judge working together in a classroom to engage in dialogues with students in order to foster the identification and understanding of fundamental values and universal moral precepts all free people share. Resource materials are available from the American Bar Association, which is spearheading implementation at the national level.

Citizenship Bee. A Citizenship Bee will be an academic competition to motivate eighth-grade students to strengthen their knowledge of Constitutional provisions and the political and governing process. A model for the Bee is available from the Close Up Foundation based in Washington, D.C. Local funding will be needed, though, to host the event and provide appropriate awards to the winners.

Open Doors of Justice. This program is an outreach program of the federal courts, and currently is implemented in the Eastern District through the efforts of Chief Judge William B. Shubb. The program encourages high school in-class learning about the federal courts and features an essay contest with essays evaluated by local lawyers. The program culminates in the spring with classroom visits to the federal courthouse, for observation of a mock oral argument presided over by a federal judge. The committee recommends that this existing, successful program be adopted by the state courts as well.

History and Government Scholarships. Complementing the above activities, the committee also recommends the establishment of scholarships for high school students, to recognize achievement in American History and Government. The scholarships could range from $500 to $1,000, and be funded through contributions from local law firms, banks, corporations, community service groups, publishers, and others.

More information will be in future pages of Sacramento Lawyer. In the meantime, if you would like to volunteer or need more information, contact Robin Raff Taylor at 554-2722.