Federal Judges Convene Civic Education Summit

Federal Judges and representatives from nearly two dozen national organizations met in Washington last month to exchange ideas on civic education. Photo left to right, Chief Judge Daniel Tacha, chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on the Judicial Branch and Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr., Chair of the Civics Subcommittee, listened as Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy spoke to the group. Kennedy recently received the American Bar Association's John Marshall Award for launching, in response to September 11, the Dialogue of Freedom program.

Urged by Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, representatives of 22 national groups met last month to stress the need to make civic education a high priority in schools and communities and to explore possible relationships with the federal Judiciary.

"Some people think government is for experts. That does not accord with basic democratic theory," Kennedy told those attending the Civic Education Idea Exchange, hosted by a Judicial Conference committee of federal judges. "The law lives in the consciousness of people. The same can be said of freedom."

The justice earlier this year enlisted the American Bar Association and launched Dialogue on Freedom, an outreach initiative to teach high-school students about democratic principles.

"We can help in a process that is every American’s mission and every American’s purpose," Kennedy said in his introductory remarks at the unprecedented gathering of federal judges and civic education groups.

The meeting was convened by the Judicial Conference Committee on the Judicial Branch after Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. (E.D. Cal.), chair of the Civics Subcommittee, expressed interest in "a less fragmented, more cooperative effort" that would involve interested judges as resource persons available to educators and leaders concerned with social studies, civics, law-related education, and American history.

Civic education leaders commended the federal court system for its existing national initiatives and other courthouse programs initiated by local judges. Spokespersons from the organizations said that the appropriate involvement of federal judges can make civic education a higher priority in schools and communities. Representatives of the groups are drafting a resolution underscoring the importance and value of civic education. Damrell raised the possibility of a national symposium on civics, in which scholars, students, educators, and judges would participate.

Chief Judge Deanell Tacha (10^th Cir.), chair of the Judicial Branch Committee, told the education experts, "There is work to be done, and we need to be part of it. Judges can bring to the table a lot of experience in working with democracy."

Judge Fern Smith, Director of the Federal Judicial Center, who participated in the summit, said her agency will conduct a survey to determine what types of judicial educational outreach programs are in place. That data will help the Judiciary determine how to move forward, she said.

Representing the White House at the meeting was John Bridgeland, a special assistant to the President and director of the USA Freedom Corps. He said the nation’s young people want information and meaningful, interactive learning experiences amid what he called a "civics revival" touched off by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. He said the Bush Administration is eager to help.

The June 19 Civic Education meeting was held with the help of the Administrative Office. More information on the AO’s Educational Outreach can be found at: http://www.uscourts.gov/ outreach/index.html.

> Organizations Represented at the Civic Education Idea Exchange with the Federal Judges Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts American Bar Association American Inns of Court Foundation American Federation of Teachers Center for Civic Education Constitutional Rights Foundation Corporation for National and Community Service Council of the Chief State School Officers Federal Bar Association Federal Judicial Center First Amendment Schools International Education Association, Civic-Education Study, University of Maryland National Association of Secondary School Principals National Council for the Social Studies National Alliance for Civic Education National Education Association Street Law, Inc. Student Achievement Institute, U.S. Department of Education The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development The Close Up Foundation The Freedom Forum USA Freedom Corps Youth Service America Participating Federal Judges Chief Judge Deanell Tacha, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Judge Ann Williams, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Judge Frank Damrell, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California Judge Rodney Sippel, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri Judge Fern Smith, Director, Federal Judicial Center