Sevier MS students at Tennessee HS Press Association….National Cathedral students in DC… a few of the many student voices that are advancing justice
I hate to see students’ rights violated
But I’ve seen it too often- in my job as a nurse, on the news, and in schools. And, I’ve seen how the situation is worse for students of color and low-income students. Add foster care, and things can get ugly, as they did in S. Carolina last month.
Thankfully, some groups are working to change that, by teaching students their rights, and how to use those rights. The American Board of Trial Advocates and the Robert H. Jackson Center invited me to Buffalo, NY this fall for just that. Here some of the students I met:
Hutchinson Central Tech students at Robert Jackson Courthouse, Buffalo
Fatiman & Basar, from “Hutch” Tech
Ninth grader, Mary Leslie used her rights to circulate a petition “for lions in Africa”
At Buffalo Seminary, Morgan, Tracy and Carole led a “Black Lives Matter” event last year…
Judges like peace, too! Hon. William Skretny, Hon. Hugh Scott, Hon. Leslie Foscio, & Hon. Jeremiah McCarthy teach students law and rights at the Robert H. Jackson Fed. Courthouse, as part of the Otis Lecture
Then, on to Fredonia, NY……
Students at State University of NY at Fredonia & Prof. Jonathan Chausovsky (in back)
School librarians invited me to celebrate Banned Book Week at eight- yes, eight!- schools in upstate NY….Solvay HS, Chittenango HS, North Syracuse, ESM, Baldwinsville HS, Fayetteville-Manlius HS, Jamesville-Dewitt MS, and Manlius Pebble HS. Whew!
Banned Books display at Jamesville Dewitt HS- Thanks, school librarians, for keeping the First Amendment alive!
Will, at Baldwinsville HS, is using his rights to stand up for campaign finance reform
Lively students also came from Durgee Middle School- some are writing amicus briefs to learn their rights, and the law. Before the program, they were told they could take out their cell phones to tweet, take photos, etc.
Manlius Pebble HS students
Then, on to Syracuse University, and the Tully Center For Free Speech….
Syracuse University Law students & Communications students… How about that FIRE T-shirt from the Foundation For Individual Rights in Education? The student inside it, Zachary, had a campaign to challenge the university’s restrictive “Code of Conduct”
Tinker Tour 