We had our final student conference today. Even though we reported on our earlier student conferences this year, I thought today's event warranted recognition.
As I navigated the crowd of 200 students from 10 different high schools at lunch today, I heard Maine high school students engaging in civil liberties discussions. I heard them passionately argue about reasonable searches and seizures. I heard them explain probable cause and reasonable suspicion to their peers. I heard them contemplate religious liberty at school. They argued the merits of protecting hate speech as free speech. I heard phrases like, "I never thought of that," or, "It never even occurred to me..."
It was absolutely breathtaking. Often at the student conferences, young people are engaged and fascinated by constitutional subjects. Today, though, students seemed hungry for the debate and thoroughly engrossed in the discussions. They cared about what they were discussing, and it filled me with a sense of wonder and pride.
No doubt, today's success is due to our wonderful workshop facilitators. Members of the University of Maine School of Law's National Lawyers Guild group volunteered to facilitate and co-facilitate lessons on privacy and technology, rights when interacting with law enforcement, and ACLU film discussions. ACLU of MAINE members, board members and legal panel members led lessons, as well as ACLU staff, on the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. Check out some pictures from the event below. If you're inspired by what you see, send me an email and let me know you'd like to volunteer at our next conference in late November.
Workshop Facilitators Before the Day Begins
ACLU of MAINE Volunteer Justin Costa helps students develop arguments in the mock trial of New Jersey v. TLO.
Students role play in the attorney debate on hate speech at school.
Students passionately argue religious liberty rights at school.
Student reads the Bill of Rights while considering the facts of NJ v. TLO.