The Center for Courts and the Community has embarked on a series of conversations designed to enhance judicial participation in civic education in schools across New York State. 

How it works
Key representatives from the bench, bar, public school system, law schools, social work schools, and organizations that have played crucial roles in developing and implementing civic education programs in local communities come together to consider how to build upon current civic education initiatives. 

Case Study: The Buffalo Civic Education Roundtable
The first Civic Education Roundtable was held on September 18, 2007, in Buffalo. Sharon S. Townsend, Administrative Judge for the 8th Judicial District, Dr. James Williams, Superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools, and the Center for Courts and the Community convened a roundtable discussion aimed at identifying opportunities for judges to work with schools to help students develop an understanding of how courts work, the role they play in our democracy and, more broadly, at fostering collaboration to enhance civic education for Buffalo’s youth. Roundtable participants included representatives from the bench, bar, public school system, law schools, social work schools, and other organizations.

The Roundtable provided an opportunity to explore how to maximize existing resources. Buffalo public schools already support several civic education initiatives and the diverse group of participants demonstrated that a broad range of stakeholders are committed to contributing to an ongoing, coordinated initiative.  The Roundtable identified critical objectives of civic education programming to be universal accessible to the large and diverse student population, coordination among local education and legal stakeholders, and maximizing opportunities for experiential learning. Several model programs were reviewed and the Roundtable discussed priorities and resources that would meet the needs of the Buffalo community.

The Center for Courts and the Community used this first conversation to develop a proposal initiatives designed to maximize the contributions of the state judiciary to civic education in Buffalo.  The Roundtable reconvened on April 14, 2008, reviewed and discussed the proposal, and agreed on initiatives to focus on over the next several months, including a Constitution Day program on voting and developing ongoing civic education summits for educators.  These summits, potentially hosted by higher education institutions, would provide educators with information and tools to lead meaningful programming in their schools and classrooms.

The Buffalo Civic Education Roundtable highlights the potential for local community stakeholders from the bench, bar, public school system, law schools, social work schools, and other organizations to work together to improve collaborations, pool resources, and foster enhanced civic engagement opportunities for students.