Law Day Forum in Olympia to Explore Future of Civics Education

(SEATTLE) — Several groups concerned about the public’s understanding of the law and government are celebrating Law Day by co-sponsoring a Civics Education Forum at the State Capitol on May 1. The forum will include a showcase, a panel discussion, a civics education information fair, a brainstorming session, and a reception. All forum events are open to the public and are free of charge.

The forum is a response to the ongoing national conversation about the role of civics in the education of our youth. Survey after survey shows that Americans know increasingly less about their rights as citizens and the operation of our democracy. In recent television appearances, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor pointed out that more Americans can name a judge from “American Idol” than from the U.S. Supreme Court, of which she is a former member.

However, school administrators and teachers are finding that improving civics education is challenging, as they encounter competing priorities and other obstacles. The purpose of the forum is to explore the state of civics education in Washington’s K-12 schools, and what direction it might take in the future. The following free events are open to the public.

“What Are Schools Doing in Civics Education?” — A showcase of best practices from schools around the state. 1:00–2:00, Senate Hearing Room 1, Cherberg Building.

“Civics Education: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?” — A panel discussion moderated by Austin Jenkins of KUOW-FM and TVW, including state legislator Dave Upthegrove, school administrator Nancy Skerritt, teacher Brent Conklin, and Tucker Cholvin of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. 2:00-3:00, Senate Hearing Room 1, Cherberg Building. (TVW will broadcast the panel discussion at a later date.)

“Where Do We Go From Here?” — A brainstorming session involving all attendees, followed by a Civics Education Fair and reception. 3:00–5:00, Columbia Room, Legislative Building.

The Washington State Bar Association’s Council on Public Legal Education is one of the event co-sponsors. Other co-sponsors are the Board for Judicial Administration’s Public Trust & Confidence Committee, Civic Education Washington State, the League of Women Voters of Washington, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, TVW, the Washington Alliance for Representative Democracy, the Washington Library Media Association, the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, the Washington State Association for Multicultural Education, the Washington State Council for the Social Studies, the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council, the Washington State Legislature, and Washington State YMCA Youth & Government.

Law Day was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 “to strengthen our great heritage of liberty, justice and equality under law.” In 1961, a joint resolution of Congress declared May 1 the official date of Law Day.

About the Washington State Bar Association

The WSBA is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state’s 32,700 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, the WSBA administers the bar admission process, including the bar exam; provides record-keeping and licensing functions; and administers the lawyer-discipline system. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member-service activities.

The governance of the WSBA is vested in its Board of Governors. There are three governors from the seventh congressional district; one from each of the other eight districts; and three at-large, one of whom represents the Young Lawyers Division. The president is Mark A. Johnson, of Seattle. The president-elect is Salvador A. Mungia, of Tacoma, and the immediate past-president is Stanley A. Bastian, of Wenatchee. The Board meets regularly (every six weeks) at various locations around the state, and its meetings are open to the public. Much of the work of the Bar is carried out through its numerous standing committees, 27 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division with its many committees.

# # #