Public Notice Detail
Thousands of MN Students to Learn about Court System from 200 Judges and Attorneys through Back to School Program
Posted: Monday, October 9, 2000
The visits, which will feature an engaging and educational videotape about the court system called “Inside Straight: The Third Branch,” are part of a statewide effort to help middle and high school students understand how the judicial branch works and how they can participate in it as citizens.
Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen A. Blatz has often said that the judiciary is the “least understood branch of government.” Judges believe this educational effort will be an effective tool to improve understanding.
“We’ve received an excellent response from teachers, who see this ‘back to school’ program as a real hands-on learning opportunity,” said Chief Justice Blatz. “Minnesota’s bench and bar are excited to make a difference in our communities.”
Earlier this fall, the 20-minute videotape was sent to social studies teachers at every middle and high school in the state. The video was specifically designed to meet state graduation standards criteria so teachers can use it as a classroom teaching tool about government. When judge and attorney volunteers visit classrooms October 13, they will play the videotape, talk about the workings of the court system and answer any questions that students have.
According to recent statistics from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 30 percent of high school seniors showed proficiency in the basic principles of the court system, and 28 percent in the U.S. Constitution. Moreover, a 1999 survey from the American Bar Association showed that in addition to formal civics education, most people would like to learn more about the court system from Judges and attorneys.
Curriculum guides that provide lessons on court cases highlighted in the video and other topics related to Minnesota’s courts are available for teachers to download from the state court web site at www.courts.state.mn.us. The Minnesota Center for Community Legal Education at the University of Minnesota developed the guides to supplement the video so teachers can extend the educational value of the program even if a guest judge or attorney wasn’t available to them.
The program commemorates the 143rd anniversary of the Minnesota Constitution. On Oct. 13, 1857, Minnesotans ratified the state constitution, which prescribes the three branches of government and spells out citizens’ rights and liberties.
Governor Jesse Ventura will proclaim Oct. 13, 2000 as Minnesota Constitution Day in honor of the educational project and its participants.
The “back to school” program and the “Inside Straight: The Third Branch” video were created by the court system’s Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, which worked for more than a year on the project to commemorate the court system’s 150th anniversary in Minnesota. The committee, made up of community members and former judges, raised private funds for the production and distribution of the tape. In addition, the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning has supported and helped implement the program.
Who: More than 200 Minnesota judges and attorneys and 5,000 to 6,000 middle school and high school students
What: “Back to School” Day for judges and attorneys. Volunteer judges and attorneys will show a new educational videotape about the court system and teach students about the judiciary. Program will help students meet graduation standards criteria in civics.
Where: More than 200 middle and high schools across Minnesota. See attached list for participating schools.
When: Minnesota Constitution Day, Oct. 13, 2000. Judge and attorney visits will occur at different times of the day, as arranged between the volunteers and individual school teachers. Contact your local school’s government or civics teacher for exact times. Contact Valerie Gunderson at 651-296-6043 for information on Supreme Court Justice’s school visits.