Fulfilling the Promise Justice Teaching: Fulfilling the Promise

The Status of Civic Literacy 2019 Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey Only 39% of Americans surveyed could correctly name the three branches of government. Annenberg Public Policy Center at University of Pennsylvania --- up from 32 % last year and 26% the year before last.

The Status of Civic Literacy 2019 Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey 25% of survey respondents could not name any of the three branches of government 61% correctly said if the Supreme Court and the president disagree on whether an action by the president is constitutional, the responsibility for deciding constitutionality resides with the court; Positive link between high school civics courses and increased civics knowledge

American Council of Trustees and Alumni Study College Graduates American Council of Trustees and Alumni Study One third of college graduates could not identify the Bill of Rights as a name given to a group of Constitutional amendments; 2015 ACTA Constitution Day Survey Only 18 percent of colleges and universities required courses in history and government. ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities. Nearly ten percent of college graduates named Judith Sheindlin “Judge Judy” as a justice of the United States Supreme Court!

The Need for Justice Teaching Boston Globe On average, college seniors could only answer about 53% of civic literacy questions; 51% of seniors did not know that the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits a national religion At 33% of schools, seniors scored lower than freshmen.

Change With national surveys documenting the limited knowledge held by Americans about our government and its constitutional structure and foundations, we want to change that!

Florida Southern College

Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning All materials and resources accessible to resource persons and teachers via website…later this summer. Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning Partnerships, Lessons, Civics Showcases and Academic Competitions, Simulations, Professional Development, and more.

What is the Justice Teaching Center? Flagship program partnering trained judges and attorneys as resource persons to support teachers and classroom instruction aligned with state standards in civics and government; New infrastructure and new experiential programs and resources to support quality, law-focused civics instruction including mock trials, academic competitions, mock congressional hearings, and a wide range of engaging civic learning opportunities for students; Professional development and teacher training opportunities to expand civic knowledge and skills.

Partnerships with legal and judicial communities Raising the bar on civic literacy Created in 2006 by then Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis, Justice Teaching provides a partnership program pairing lawyers and judges with elementary, middle, and high school classes. Partnerships with legal and judicial communities

Lessons New lessons being utilized are aligned with state standards in civics and government. Middle school lessons are also aligned with the Item Specification Booklet for the Civics End of Course Exam. Nonpartisan, engaging and experiential materials and training.

Civics Resources and Academic Competitions Constitutional Education Academic Competitions, Mock Trial Simulations and Competitions Public Affairs and Leadership Scholarships Project Citizen Showcase– students solve problems in community by proposing public policy solutions.

Nationally Recognized Model: Sandra Day O’Connor National Advancements in Civics Award

“I have a light and it won’t turn on….then you come in and it turns on!! Thank you for being our partner!” Elementary Student

Teachers and principals… “Thank you for demonstrating a human side to justice. It is so important for students to see that the courts are more than a process.” “Most students have never met a judge. As a teacher, I think it is important for students to experience the institutions of government, not just learn about them from a book.” “For our government to improve, we need to listen to our students. Thank you for listening.”

Justice Teaching Center The Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning inculcates the mission and goals of Florida Southern College to prepare students to make a positive and consequential impact on society through engaged law-focused civic learning opportunities. Come join us in our work.

Contact : justiceteaching@flsouthern.edu

Strengthening Civics in Florida Contacts: R. Fred Lewis, Eminent Professor of Law and Letters Annette Boyd Pitts, Director, Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning justiceteaching@flsouthern.edu https://www.annenbergpublicpolicy center.org/civics-knowledge- survey-willingness-protect- supreme-court/ https://www.goacta.org/images/do wnload/A_Crisis_in_Civic_Educ ation.pdf https://www.census.gov/data/table s/time-series/demo/voting-and- registration/p20-583.html https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportc ard/civics/