As sixth graders at Inman Middle School rigorously prepared for their upcoming mock trial, several attorneys from the community shared valuable insight from their experiences. In the mock trial, the students were assigned roles from the characters from the novel The Outsider by S.E. Hinton.
“We learned some very useful information that will help us defend or prosecute the defendant,” said Hope, sixth grader at Inman Middle School.
The School of Law and Social Justice at South Atlanta (LSJ) holds Senior Defenses each year for all 12th grade students. The purpose of the Senior Project is to engage students in the research process and allow them to present their findings in front of a panel of educators. LSJ students focus on a social problems affecting society and must present a solution to that problem and defend it. Each Senior must participate and they are graded on their background knowledge, the viability of their solution and the creativity present in their tri-fold board or slide show. This year’s presentations were held in the courtroom of the school in front of an audience of 11th grade students, parents and visiting teachers. Projects ranged from gang violence to child neglect and financial mismanagement.
written by Shanna Miles, Media Specialist at South Atlanta Educational Complex
In observence of Law Month, Atlanta City Councilmember Natalyn Archibong and the Atlanta Municipal Court hosted more than a dozen students from South Atlanta High School of Law and Social Justice, Frederick Douglass High School and Carver School of Technology during a day of education about the judicial system.
Law Month, a national observance during the month of May, is designed to educate the public about the court and justice system in the United States.
The mock trial was sponsored by T.A.T.O.O, (Taking Action to Overcome Obstacles) – a nonprofit organization that strives to create opportunities for under-served youth. The objective of the mock trial was to expose students to the role of the judicial systems in today’s society. The mock trial involved a stand your ground criminal case, using information the students learned from the recent death of teen Trayvon Martin.
Special guest during the trial was the Honorable Crystal A. Gaines, Chief Judge of the Atlanta Municipal Court.
Christian Smith, Chief of Staff for the office of Councilmember Natalyn Archibong presided.
“This mock trial enabled the student to gain a better grasp of the judicial system beyond what is often shown in a sound bite on television,” said Councilmember Archibong, a graduate of the Atlanta Public Schools who also spoke to the students about the American legal system and careers in law. “I would like to thank the municipal court for opening their doors to these students which allowed them to learn such a great lesson. Undoubtedly, from the day’s trial, we have some great aspiring legal minds on the horizon.”
Source: Atlanta City Council – Council Communications
At the desk is defense attorney Jasmine Thomas, 11th grade. In the next row are defense attorneys Avis Rippy and Taereco Wilborn, 11th graders. In the following row are defense witnesses Tyessia Roundtree, 9th grade (defendant’s fiancée), Kornelius Taylor, 11th grade (neighbor) and the defendant Oscar Jordan, 11th grade. All participated in a recent mock trial sponsored by T.A.T.O.O, (Taking Action to Overcome Obstacles) – a nonprofit organization that strives to create opportunities for under-served youth.
Defense Attorneys and their witnesses discuss the mock trial testimony. Standing is witness Tyessia Roundtree, 9th grade (defendant’s fiancée). Seated at the desk is defense attorney Jasmine Thomas, 11th grade. Immediately behind her is defense attorney Taereco Wilborn, 11th grade, defense attorney Avis Rippy, 11th grade, and the defendant Oscar Jordan (green shirt) 11th grade.
A seasoned D.H. Stanton team took home the Legal Lives top honor, winning the competition for a 2nd time.
In their first appearance at the competition, students from Parkside Elementary won the Judge’s Choice award.
Students from D. H. Stanton and Parkside Elementary tested their speech and debate skills last week and emerged victorious in the Fulton County Legal Lives Mock trial competition held on May 9th, 2012, held at the Fulton County Courthouse.
For the second time, students from D.H. Stanton Elementary took the highest honor–the D.A.’s cup. In addition to the team’s overall win, four of the outstanding fifth graders won trophies for individual participation.
New to legal lives this year was Parkside Elementary School. The first time contenders accomplished a task that was almost implausible. The Gifted team won the Judge’s Choice award in their trial performance against North Fulton County, State Bridge Crossing Elementary, a three-year competitor. Four fifth graders from Parkside also won trophies for their roles as prosecutor, defendant, witness and judge.
Every student that participated in the Legal Lives 12-week course received a trophy for their effort.
To culminate the unit study, a total of 5 of the gifted students from the two schools were selected from their persuasive essays to visit the Nation’s Capital and Monuments.
Atlanta City Councilmember Keisha Lance Bottoms welcomed 40 students and several teachers from the D. M. Therrell School of Law, Government and Public Policy to Atlanta City Hall on Monday, May 7.
Councilmember Bottoms took the special guests on a guided tour of City Hall offices including the Office of the Atlanta City Council and the Office of the Mayor.
Councilmembers Bottoms along with her colleagues also answered the students’ questions on their career paths in public service. The students also shared their career goals with the elected officials.
The Therrell students ended their day by sitting in on a council committee meeting as well as the meeting of the full Atlanta City Council.
Located in District 11 in southwest Atlanta, D. M. Therrell School of Law, Government and Public Policy is focused on developing a student’s critical thinking skills necessary for success in college and the workplace. These skills include problem-solving, logical reasoning, oration and critical reading and writing. Particular emphasis is being placed on developing connections between content and disciplines through interdisciplinary planning and external experiences such as community service, mentoring and internships in local colleges/universities, law firms, public service and social justice organizations.
Source: Atlanta City Council, Office of Council Communications
Atlanta Public Schools Legislative Update
Friday, January 13, 2012
Actions on education legislation under the Gold Dome for 2012 General Session Days 1 – 4
The 2012 Legislative Session began Monday, January 9, 2011. Action was taken on Day One by the Senate, which passed two pieces of legislation that were carryovers from the last session. The two bills passed both chambers last session with slightly different versions, but time ran out before the changes could be made and voted upon. Senate Bill 38 gives the state school superintendent hiring/firing powers without need for SBOE approval. It also increased the amount of contracts the superintendent has authority to sign contracts from $50,000.00 to $250,000.00. SB 184 is the Reduction in Force bill that establishes a task force to review professional learning requirements and make recommendations to the State Board of Education. It also prohibits local boards from making length of service the primary or sole determining factor when implanting a reduction in force. Instead, the primary factor shall be the performance of the educator. Both are headed to the Governor’s desk for signature.
We considered it a victory last year when SB 87, which was a voucher bill that would allow vouchers for dependent children of active duty, National Guard or Reserves, or deceased military parents, was tabled on the Senate floor when the sponsor realized there were not enough votes to pass it. On Day One, of this session, it was removed from table and goes back to the Senate Education & Youth Committee for consideration.
Education Highlights from Governor’s State of the State Address
In his State of the State Address, this week, Governor Nathan Deal said he is including in his budget $1.6 million for a reading mentor program. His goal is to have all children reading on grade level by the third grade. He has added $3.72 million for school nurses, $146.6 million for student enrollment growth and $55.8 million to fund teacher salary increases for their training & experience. He has also added $8.7 million dollars in grants to both the FY 12 supplemental budget and the FY 13 budget for state special charter schools that were affected by the Supreme Court decision on the State Charter School Commission. There will be no reduction in QBE or Equalization. However, after closer review, there is a 2% cut to all other areas.
The following legislation passed in the House Education Committee:
• HB 705 – Amend Code section relating to direct classroom expenditures, also known as the 65% Rule for classroom instruction. Technology, transportation, and instructional support including media centers and guidance counselors have been added. This bill was recommendation of the Education Finance Committee.
• HB 706 – Repeals over 20 sections of Education Title 20 to make it current to what is happening today. Changes include removing the April 1st deadline for evaluations; shifting the home school reporting to the Department of Education; repealing the requirement to send student codes of conduct to the state; and repealing the law on electronic communication devices at school. This bill was recommendation of the Education Finance Committee.
• HB 713 – Amends bill passed last year on college and career pathway initiatives to delay the implantation schedule one year to the fall of 2013. This bill introduced at the request of the State Superintendent.
Other Bills Introduced:
• HB 651 – Repeal a Code section relating to additional three charter system earnings for each full-time equivalent student.
• HB 654 – Provide for the establishment of grant programs by local school systems. Authorize local boards of education to make available to its students grants to attend participating schools. Includes details on amount of grants, the method of payment and reporting.
• HB 661 – Require that professional personnel in charter schools comply with the same certification requirements as professional personnel in the public schools in this state.
• HB 664 – Provide that the Georgia Charter Schools Commission may elect to exclude all teachers in a commission charter school from membership in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia. Provide that the Georgia Charter Schools Commission may make an irrevocable election to exclude public school employees from membership in the Public School Employees Retirement Fund. Note: This bill was introduced prior to the State Supreme Court’s decision on the Commission.
• HB 671- Provide for a reduction in the members of the board of education from nine to seven. It was also introduced last year but, was usurped by SB 79, which was similar and passed. Just as a recap, SB 79 set minimum four‐year terms for school board members; reduced the board sizes of districts such as DeKalb County from nine to seven, eliminating two at‐large seats. Though Atlanta was not named, the third part authorizes governor to remove all school board members, and appoint temporary replacements, if the school system has not regained full accreditation status by July 1, 2011.
• HB 673 – By Jan. 2013, the state board of education, SBOE, shall develop and distribute to local school districts mandatory guidelines for informing and educating coaches, student athletes, and parents about the risks of concussions. These guidelines must include criteria for removal and return to play, and risks of not reporting the injury and continuing to play. Local school boards shall, by July 2013, develop procedures and regulations which must require: annually, each student athlete and parent be given information about concussions and the athlete and parent shall sign that they have received same; immediate removal of a student athlete from activity should a concussion or brain injury be sustained; and no return to play on the same day and only after a medical evaluation with written clearance from the medical provider.
• HB 679 – Revise certain laws regarding the carrying of firearms; and for other purposes. Would not require the carrier to have a permit or be a resident of the state.
• HB 689 -Local Boards of Education are authorized to provide health insurance benefits to former board members with at least 12 years of service to be paid for by the former member.
• HB 692 – A teacher or other certified professional personnel’s salary increase or bonus that is based in whole or in part on an evaluation which included student assessment results or standardized test scores that were falsified by that teacher or professional, or known of or caused by that teacher or professional shall be automatically forfeited. It also requires repayment of any and all amounts previously paid to him or her based, in whole or in part, on the results of falsified student assessments or standardized tests.
• HR 1093 – A RESOLUTION urging local boards of education to apply for federal funding to retrofit school buses with pollution control devices.
• SB 291 –Pre-K programs to be funded with general funds, rather than lottery by 2013-2014.
• SB 308 – Permits proprietary institutions of higher education to participate in establishing college and career academies.
• SR 646 – A RESOLUTION expressing the will of the Senate to ensure the necessary conditions for expanded high-quality digital learning opportunities for the students of this state.
• SR 663 – A RESOLUTION supporting the Reading for Learning-Merit Based Student Program.
The General Assembly is in recess next week, and will reconvene on, Monday, January 23, 2011 for Legislative Day 5.
Monday, August 15, 2011 marks the start of the governor-called special legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly.
The special session will focus on redistricting or reapportionment, which occurs every 10 years after the release of the U.S. Census Bureau analysis of population, housing and other demographic data. State legislators use the data to redraw the lines of their U.S. congressional representative districts and general assembly districts based on shifts in the nation’s population.
While Georgia’s special session is expected to focus primarily on redistricting, legislation regarding transportation sales and use taxes, and local legislation affecting school districts may be introduced.
Working with senior cabinet members and the school system’s in-house legislative liaison, Superintendent Davis will keep the Board of Education informed about progress.
You might recall Jill Beracki for the wonderful work she did at Washington High, where she led a strong performance by the team in the Stock Market Game. Well, guess what? She’s up to her old tricks, but this time at another school. She tells us the South Atlanta School of Law & Social Justice is the Regional Winner (City of Atlanta) for the Stock Market Game (first semester 2010-2011). This is the version played statewide and is sponsored by the Georgia Council on Economic Education (Georgia State University).
The game is played once per semester each school term, and more than 3,500 teams compete across Georgia, Beracki tells us. The state winner was Parkview High School in Gwinnett County.
“I believe this is the first time that South Atlanta High has ever had a winner,” Beracki says, giving credit to South Atlanta School of Law & Social Justice Peter McKnight.
The students will attend an awards ceremony in May at the Georgia Depot. The team features Donta Smith (captain) and teammates Amario Zachary and Brandon Jones.
UPDATE: Check out the photo gallery of images from around the schools here. Watch a video of the panel discussion here, and a question-answer session with the students here.
The Just the Beginning Foundation sponsored the “Robes in the Schools” event Thursday at six Atlanta Public Schools high schools to encourage students to consider the legal profession as potential careers. The sessions featured panel discussions featuring federal, state and municipal judges from throughout the metropolitan area, as the foundation is holding its biennial conference in Atlanta this week.
The video above comes from D.M. Therrell Educational Complex, which houses the School of Law, Government and Public Policy. APS General Counsel Veleter Mazyck and Principal Byron Barnes welcomed Judge Carl Stewart, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit; Judge Crystal Gaines, Municipal Court of Atlanta; and Judge Wendy Shoob, Fulton County Superior Court. During the session, Mazyck prompted discussions among the judges on a range of topics but in particular queried them about their personal journey to the bench as she noted that her parents did not have a college education. (Two of the three judges had the same background.) The judges stressed the importance of a strong education and avoiding the pitfalls that can prevent advancement in the professional world.
At the end of the discussion, Malyck opened up the discussion for questions from students, who asked the judges about juggling their personal and professional lives and for their own tips. Here’s a list of the participating schools and the respective panel members:
Over the past decade, Grady High School‘s mock trial team has been very active in the state competition, a program where teams of 14 students are coached by attorneys and teachers to work together to prepare presentations of case material provided by the High School Mock Trial Committee. After performing in the regional and state competitions, some teams are selected to compete on the national level.
Grady has won regional titles and state championships in 2000, 2005 and 2009. They placed eighth in the nation in last year’s national tournament; this year they plan to reach even higher goals. They recently competed at regionals and will advance to the state level of the Georgia High School Mock Trial Competition. For more information, please contact Georgia Mock Trial Coordinator Stacy Rieke at (404) 527- 8779.
