Law-themed Education as Superhero

Raising Aspirations and Increasing

Achievement in a Single Bound1

Beth Bulgeron, Esq.

Sarah Redfield, Esq.

ABA LRE Conference

Chicago 2009

Law-themed Curriculum as Superhero

BethBulgeron@aol.com sarah.redfield@gmail.com

3

Law is Not A Leader.

4

89

%

1% 2% 4%

3%

66

%

6%

4%

12

%

15

%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

White AIAN ASPI AFAM Hisp

Practice

Population

And law is out of touch.

5Source: Miles to Go 2004 and Census

Law is a Pathway to Leadership.

6

• 100% judges

• 58% U.S. Senators

• 38% U.S. Reps

• 20% state legislators

• 11% major CEOs

Source: various Census + Congress – see notes..

Other professions are more diverse.

7Source: Adapted from ABA Miles to Go 2004 + 2000 Census

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Tota

l C

ivili

an L

abor …

Physic

ians +

Surg

eons

Com

pute

r S

cie

ntists

Legis

lato

rs

Accounta

nts

Posts

ec fac

Civ

il E

ngin

eers

Cle

rgy

Dentists

New

s R

eport

ers

Arc

hitects

Mechanic

al E

ng

Funera

l D

ir

Law

yers

CE

O

Psycholo

gis

ts

Vete

rinarians

The pipeline is narrowed and broken.

8Source: Based on prior LSA C slide + NCES data see notes.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

AIAN

ASPI

Hispanic

Black

White

You can’t go to law school if you can’t read.

9

AGE 9 13 17White 226 266 293Black 200 244 264Hisp. 205 242 264

Source: NCES Digest Reading 2004

Source: NAEP 12th Grade Reading 2005

47% 42% 41%32% 26% 24% 22%

Black FRPL eligible

Hispanic AIAN AsPI FRPL not eligible

White

At Advanced

At or above Proficient

At or above Basic

Below Basic

FRPL = Free + Reduced Price Lunch

10

The test results are predictive and damning.

Source: Based on prior LSAC prepared slide

LSAT APPLY ADMIT

AsPI +2 +2

White +2 +1

average 153 156

avg matriculate 157

Hispanic -5 -3

Chicano -4 -2

AIAN -3 -2

AfAm -9 -6

PR -13 -12

What the math would look like. . .

TOO FEW =

+100,000

+230,000

Without repair of the pipeline, PARITY is IMPOSSIBLE

12

LAW WILL REMAIN OUT OF TOUCH AND OUT OF SYNC …

13

talking . . . talking not walkingtalking . .talking .

THERE ARE TOO FEW URMS AVAILABLE IN THE QUALIFIED POOL INTERESTED IN LAW SCHOOL.

There really is little surprise that at the law school gates

14

The legal community has tried. . . .

15

And recognized it can partner for change.

Not just at its own gates, but along the Pipeline P20, preschool to the profession

16

17

We are, however, an action-oriented profession of problem-solvers and deal-makers. Let us make this project the most important case on our calendar, the biggest deal pending. The clock is ticking, and we

have no time to waste. We can and must join together to make diversity in our profession a reality,

rather than an unfulfilled promise .

Source: ABA Report, see notes.

Like Justice for Chocolate

18

Like Justice for Chocolate

19

You CAN’T CHOOSE WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

Video entry for the State Bar of Texas"Texans on Justice" YouTube contest

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sWA2FytJoA

To change …mind the new 3Rs

20

RIGOR

RELEVANCE

RELATIONSHIP

• Signature Pedagogy

• Issues of the day

• Mentor/Role Model

• Collaborative Partners

Source: Gates Foundation

Components of a Law Themed Program

Curriculum

Methodology

Role models

Critical thinking

21Redfield et al. See notes.

Law curriculum is powerful.

• Engaging

• Relevant

• Real world experience

Law is Engaging.

23

Law Curriculum is multilayered + varied.

At its best, it is

• Sequenced

• Sustained

• Integrated

• At its best, it offers

• curricular &

co-curricular opportunities

• outside partnerships & resources24

Law has a signature pedagogy.

•Socratic•Project based•Skills based •Interactive•Multilayered + varied

Source: Newsweek, Aug. 1, 2008 25

Law curriculum is project-based.

26

Law curriculum is interactive + skills based.

27

Partnerships are Important.-

Mentoring

Internships

Guest speakers

Shared teaching

Tours /police

ride-alongs

Co-curricular

support

Cleveland Municipal School District

29

21 High Schools + 700 Lawyers

School Bd.

Bar

Law School

SOURCE: http://www.clevelandbar.org/3Rs_Site/index.html

Law fosters high expectations.

• Guidance, counseling, mentoring

• Role models

• Rigorous curriculum

• Career pathways

One caring adult

The Law community increases aspirations & persistence.

31

32

Law teaches the skills employers demand.

33Source: Conference Board, Are They Really Ready to Work?

Employers New Top 10

• Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

• Info Technology Application

• *Teamwork/Collaboration

• *Creativity/Innovation

• *Diversity

• *Leadership

• Oral Communications

• *Professionalism/Work Ethic

• *Ethics/Social Responsibility

Law theme teaches the skills in demand.

• Police

• Probation Officers

• Judges

• Paralegals

• Lawyers

• Court officers

• Law enforcement

• Investigators34

WRITING!• Followed by communication skills

35

Critical thinking IS law-based ed.

• CRITICAL THINKING…

• due process

• citizenship, reading, writing, advocacy

For example, name that rule!

Rules for Monica/Lena

© Professor Charles Calleros

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University

http://www.law.asu.edu/files/faculty/RulesforLina/chapter1.html

http://www.law.asu.edu/files/faculty/RulesforLina/chapter2.html

http://www.law.asu.edu/files/faculty/RulesforLina/chapter3.html 37

Putting it all together

38

Summary

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT LAW

• Engaging

• Relevant

• Rigorous

• Relationship based

• Record of Success

COLLABORATION WORKS

LAW COMMUNITY

• Rich in resources + relationships

• Naturals for pedagogy +PBL

• Trained and Model Critical Thinking

Legal courses should be sequenced.

The legal theme should be integrated across the curriculum.

Law themed programs should capitalize on partnerships with the legal community.

Law-themed programs should cultivate high expectations and aspirations.

Law-themed programs should include activities that are engaging, relevant to real-life, and empowering.

QUESTIONS/ TOMORROW

• If you were going to start (expand) a law-related or themed program, what do you have questions about?

• What are you worried about?

• What will you need?