A vision of justice.

• Author: Lewis, R. Fred
• Position: Florida Supreme Court

"Come Share with Me Your Vision of Justice." Those were the words inscribed at the entrance to the courtroom of the Florida Supreme Court as I assumed the role of chief justice in 2006. I had observed the "Vision of Justice" of many Floridians as I commenced visiting approximately three public schools each month in 1999 to discuss the concept of fundamental liberties with our students. From those visits, however, it became readily apparent that our students demonstrated a concerning lack of civic competence, although it was not at all attributed to a lack of interest or effort on the part of our students, teachers, and schools.

The truth is found in understanding that a democracy is not hereditary. Rather, it must be crafted for, and imparted to, each generation. History has revealed that without nurturing and protection, a democratic republic will not survive. The preservation of a democratic way of life can be accomplished only through knowledge, and knowledge cannot be achieved without education. A citizenry that understands the value of a democracy will be the force that determines the future of our nation, not the demagogues who appeal to the popular desires and prejudices of the moment. With these tenets in mind, and with a desire to guard the constitutional liberties fought for so vigorously by our founding fathers, I realized that our students required and deserved civic education conveyed through relatable, real-life examples. From such examples, students would learn about the concepts of ordered democracy and understand that this constitutional republic, of which we are all a part, remains alive and has a true impact on them and others.

It also became apparent to me that our youth deserved the maximum assistance that we, as members of the noble profession of the law, could provide in teaching them about the rule of law, the interaction of the three branches of government, and the role these branches occupy in our constitutional democracy. Although I was admittedly uncertain of the extent to which members of The Florida Bar would be willing to visit schools on a continuing basis, I believed there were many wonderful judges and attorneys who, once engaged in the edifying experience of bringing civic education to life for Florida students, would readily accept the challenge.

The Birth of Justice Teaching

Based upon these thoughts and my prior experiences in the schools, when I became chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court in 2006, I brought my vision of justice to life and created Justice Teaching, an initiative that would place a judge or attorney volunteer with every public school in Florida. To that end, I appointed the Select Committee on Justice Teaching. The select committee was composed of judges from each of the 20 judicial circuits, as well as respected members of the educational community and The Florida Bar. These dedicated members, who shared my vision, worked to increase awareness about Justice Teaching within legal and educational communities at the local level. Soon after the creation of Justice Teaching, hundreds of schools were paired with a volunteer. By 2008, we had covered every public school in Florida with very few exceptions, and the response to Justice Teaching was so positive that we expanded the initiative to private schools.

Justice Teaching has now been in existence for nine years, heading for our 10 th anniversary next July. Our success is reflected in the thousands upon thousands of students who have participated in these hands-on programs and better understand our governmental structure, why our nation exists, how it was formed, and the functions of the three branches of government that were designated by our forefathers so our country would have ordered liberty. It is my hope that the reach of Justice Teaching will continue to fulfill the highest goal for our nation, which is to have a well-informed citizenry that can operate and maintain the government structure that has been established for the past 230 years, and also possesses a full and healthy recognition of the individual liberties that date as far back as Magna Carta.

The Paramount Importance of Nonpartisanship

When the structure for Justice Teaching was developed, we were careful to ensure that the sessions would not constitute lectures or attorneys visiting classrooms to tell war stories or express personal views on controversial topics. Instead, the program offered activities that were designed to assist attorneys and judges to encourage students to think critically as well as facilitate constructive, interactive, and civil discussions on a range of relevant topics. We recognized that students were capable of tackling complex problems and issues given the appropriate setting and tools. This became a critical component of our training. If given the opportunity, students could comprehend and appreciate concepts that relate to our constitutional liberties and civic responsibilities.

Justice Teaching exemplifies a nonpartisan, law-focused approach to civic education. A wide variety of interactive lessons exist for elementary through high school classrooms. One of the most popular activities uses an engaging, interactive scenario addressing the Bill of Rights. Students reflect on the constitutional rights we have in this country and later evaluate the Bill of Rights to determine which ones they feel are most important. In small groups, the students discuss their answers...