Implementation & RecruitmentImplementation & Recruitmentwww.justiceteaching.orgwww.justiceteaching.org

justiceteaching@flcourts.orgjusticeteaching@flcourts.org

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: Citizens in general know little about Citizens in general know little about

the operations of our justice systemthe operations of our justice system Only 59 % of Floridians can identify Only 59 % of Floridians can identify

the 3 branches (Florida Bar poll)the 3 branches (Florida Bar poll) Only 55 % of Americans could do so Only 55 % of Americans could do so

(ABA poll)(ABA poll)

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: Some do not understand the separation Some do not understand the separation

of powers of powers 7 % of Floridians think “independent 7 % of Floridians think “independent

judiciary” means judges can make any judiciary” means judges can make any decision they like (Florida Bar poll)decision they like (Florida Bar poll)

Only 46 % of Floridians could identify Only 46 % of Floridians could identify “separation of powers” as the system of “separation of powers” as the system of checks and balances (Florida Bar poll)checks and balances (Florida Bar poll)

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: 22% of Americans believe the 3 22% of Americans believe the 3

branches of government are branches of government are Republican, Democrat, & Republican, Democrat, & Independent branches (ABA survey) Independent branches (ABA survey)

33% of Americans are unable to 33% of Americans are unable to name even 1 the 3 branches of name even 1 the 3 branches of government (Annenberg survey)government (Annenberg survey)

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: Only 53% of Americans believe the Only 53% of Americans believe the

President must follow U.S. Supreme President must follow U.S. Supreme Court Rulings (Annenberg survey)Court Rulings (Annenberg survey)

38% of American adults believe 38% of American adults believe President has power to ignore U.S. President has power to ignore U.S. Supreme Court rulings if President Supreme Court rulings if President believes it would impede his desires. believes it would impede his desires.

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: 62% of Americans believe the courts 62% of Americans believe the courts

favor the wealthy or powerful favor the wealthy or powerful 35% of Americans think each branch 35% of Americans think each branch

of government has power but of government has power but President has final wordPresident has final word

Average college & university freshman Average college & university freshman could answer only 52% of civic literacy could answer only 52% of civic literacy questions (Boston Globe)questions (Boston Globe)

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Surveys show:Surveys show: Average college & university senior Average college & university senior

could answer only 53% of civic could answer only 53% of civic literacy questions (Boston Globe) literacy questions (Boston Globe)

51% of seniors did 51% of seniors did notnot know that Bill know that Bill of Rights expressly prohibits a of Rights expressly prohibits a national religion (Boston Globe)national religion (Boston Globe)

At 33% of schools, seniors scored At 33% of schools, seniors scored lower than freshmen lower than freshmen

The Need for Justice The Need for Justice TeachingTeaching

Which schools surveyed?Which schools surveyed? Cornell Cornell YaleYale DukeDuke GeorgetownGeorgetown BrownBrown U.C. Berkeley (Boston Globe) U.C. Berkeley (Boston Globe)

Colleges & UniversitiesColleges & Universities

Exposed to values of:Exposed to values of: Political correctnessPolitical correctness DiversityDiversity SecularismSecularism Personal rightsPersonal rights Global warmingGlobal warming

Colleges & UniversitiesColleges & Universities

Know less about:Know less about: American historyAmerican history American civic institutionsAmerican civic institutions Constitutional structure & Constitutional structure &

relationshipsrelationships

Who Votes?Who Votes?

Surveys show:Surveys show: Regular voters – 35% of Americans Regular voters – 35% of Americans

voted in the last election and will vote voted in the last election and will vote in the nextin the next

Intermittent voters – 20% of Intermittent voters – 20% of Americans registered but do not Americans registered but do not always votealways vote

Registered but rare – 23% of Registered but rare – 23% of Americans rarely voteAmericans rarely vote

Unregistered adults – 22% of Unregistered adults – 22% of Americans (Pew Research)Americans (Pew Research)

Who Are Regular Voters?Who Are Regular Voters?

Surveys show:Surveys show: 37% of Caucasians37% of Caucasians 31% of African Americans31% of African Americans 24% of Hispanics24% of Hispanics 42% of persons 50 & older42% of persons 50 & older 35% of persons 30-4935% of persons 30-49 22% of persons 18-29 (Pew 22% of persons 18-29 (Pew

Research)Research)

Who Are Not Registered Who Are Not Registered to Vote?to Vote?

Surveys show:Surveys show: 40% of persons 18-2940% of persons 18-29 20% of persons 30-4920% of persons 30-49 14% of persons 50 & older (Pew 14% of persons 50 & older (Pew

Research)Research)

Desired Outcomes for Desired Outcomes for the Publicthe Public

Correct misconceptionsCorrect misconceptions Explain the structure & function Explain the structure & function

of the courts of the courts Reinforce the rule of lawReinforce the rule of law Strengthen public trust & Strengthen public trust &

confidence in our justice confidence in our justice systemsystem

Justice Teaching Target Justice Teaching Target AudiencesAudiences

Elementary school studentsElementary school students Middle school students Middle school students High school studentsHigh school students

Justice Teaching GoalsJustice Teaching Goals

Help promote an understanding of Help promote an understanding of Florida’s justice system & lawsFlorida’s justice system & laws

Develop critical thinking abilities Develop critical thinking abilities and problem solving skills and problem solving skills

Demonstrate to students effective Demonstrate to students effective interaction of Florida’s courts interaction of Florida’s courts within the constitutional structure within the constitutional structure

Justice Teaching Program Justice Teaching Program GovernanceGovernance

The Select Committee on The Select Committee on Justice Teaching’s membership Justice Teaching’s membership reflects the geographic reflects the geographic structure of the State Courts structure of the State Courts SystemSystem

Governance will follow this Governance will follow this same geographic structure same geographic structure

State Courts SystemCircuits

State Courts SystemDistricts

Select Committee Select Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Develop a plan that pairs at least Develop a plan that pairs at least one judge or other legal one judge or other legal professional (Justice Teaching professional (Justice Teaching resource) with each Florida resource) with each Florida schoolschool

Cultivate relationships & maintain Cultivate relationships & maintain regular contact with schools & regular contact with schools & school officials school officials

Select Committee Select Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Oversee development, Oversee development, distribution, & implementation of distribution, & implementation of model curricula for use in schoolsmodel curricula for use in schools

Curricula will educate students Curricula will educate students about the structure, function, and about the structure, function, and purpose of the judicial branch purpose of the judicial branch

Select Committee Select Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Participate in creating a state Participate in creating a state plan for Justice Teachingplan for Justice Teaching

Develop supporting materials Develop supporting materials for special events like for special events like Constitution Day & Law DayConstitution Day & Law Day

Recruit Justice Teaching Recruit Justice Teaching volunteersvolunteers

Select Committee Select Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Provide ongoing support to Justice Provide ongoing support to Justice Teaching volunteersTeaching volunteers

Develop publications, lesson plans, Develop publications, lesson plans, workshops, & networking activities workshops, & networking activities to maintain Justice Teaching to maintain Justice Teaching volunteers’ knowledge of the volunteers’ knowledge of the latest law-related education latest law-related education materials & techniquesmaterials & techniques

Select Committee Select Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Explore the availability of Explore the availability of grants and other resources to grants and other resources to support all programs used by support all programs used by Justice Teaching volunteersJustice Teaching volunteers

Monitor and evaluate the Monitor and evaluate the Justice Teaching program on Justice Teaching program on an ongoing basisan ongoing basis

Implementing Justice Implementing Justice Teaching: Practical StepsTeaching: Practical Steps Recruit volunteer baseRecruit volunteer base

Volunteer sources:Volunteer sources: Court employeesCourt employees Statewide & local voluntary bar Statewide & local voluntary bar

associationsassociations Methods:Methods:

Newsletters/articlesNewsletters/articles Mailouts/E-mailMailouts/E-mail Speeches at local bar meetingsSpeeches at local bar meetings Holding Justice Teaching Q&A sessionsHolding Justice Teaching Q&A sessions

Implementing Justice Implementing Justice Teaching: Practical StepsTeaching: Practical Steps Contact schoolsContact schools

SuperintendentsSuperintendents Teachers/Social studies departmentsTeachers/Social studies departments

Train & prepare volunteersTrain & prepare volunteers Complete necessary paperworkComplete necessary paperwork Provide substantive trainingProvide substantive training Assess volunteers’ strengthsAssess volunteers’ strengths Link volunteers with suitable schools Link volunteers with suitable schools

and grade levels and grade levels

StatusStatus

Florida Public Schools – 2,850Florida Public Schools – 2,850 Justice Teaching Lawyers & Judges – Justice Teaching Lawyers & Judges –

3,2753,275 Training Sessions – 22Training Sessions – 22 24 Counties have all public schools 24 Counties have all public schools

coveredcovered Some counties need 1 or 2 schools Some counties need 1 or 2 schools

coveredcovered Lee County, Pinellas County – 40 schools Lee County, Pinellas County – 40 schools

not coverednot covered

www.justiceteaching.orgwww.justiceteaching.orgContact Us:Contact Us:

justiceteaching@flcourts.orgjusticeteaching@flcourts.org