Now this I think is a good idea:
Several dozen school teachers attended a daylong seminar Wednesday at the state Capitol that was designed to increase their knowledge of the state and federal court systems. It was part of an effort by the courts to counter cynicism that many fear has corroded public confidence in the judicial branch.
The program included basic instruction in court issues, a mock Supreme Court argument and a discussion by several judges on how they decide criminal and civil cases.
The judiciary obviously is concerned about the notion that it somehow “legislates” from the bench, a frequent criticism from conservative groups upset when rulings on things like gun laws or gay marriage goes against their point-of-view. As I’ve written before, please show me in the state and national constitutions which explicitedly says gay and lesbian couples can’t marry, and I’ll raise you the 14th amendment. And the judiciary may have figured a safe, more effective route to tackle the perception of “legislating” from the bench: Educate younger generations rather than get into a public spat with groups and individuals who feel they override their authority.
The judiciary isn’t as “sexy” to learn about as the presidency or the legislative branch, I’ll grant you, but it’s vital to understanding the checks-and-balances in place. I remember the judiciary being glossed over during history class as war, economic hardship, settling the frontier, war, battles, presidents, war were emphasized more, even though the Supreme Court had major roles in shaping our society, our culture, our politics. Adding emphasis in the curriculum wouldn’t be a bad thing.
